Despite taking time off of college to undergo treatment, Zoe did not just sit around and wait; she focused on her passions. As one of the first exploratory mentorship participants in Connecting Champions, Zoe met with four incredible mentors to help her figure out what she may want to pursue.
“It reinforced my idea that I really want to work outdoors,” Zoe said. “I spent a lot of time in hospitals, and this helped me realize how important it is to me to be outside.”
A sophomore at Wayne State University in Detroit, Zoe majors in environmental science and geology. While she was initially interested in the field of biology when she was referred to Connecting Champions, Zoe seized the opportunity to decide on what she may, and may not, want to do for a career.
“It helped me realize that I don’t have to settle on a career,” said Zoe. “I can stick my neck out there like the ladies I spoke to.”
Zoe’s first guest mentor was Sarah, an assistant biology professor at Penn State University. “She’s just a cool, personable person,” Zoe said about her time meeting with Sarah. “The historical aspect of the field is very interesting to me, going out and fossil dating.”
Her next mentor Cassandra, a medical ethnobotanist and author, really spoke to Zoe’s desires to be in the field. “I wasn’t expecting to speak to somebody as high profile and established in their field as Cassandra, so that was incredible,” Zoe stated. “If you want to read about a powerful, smart woman, she’s the lady.”
Heidi, a botanist and forester, was Zoe’s third guest mentor. “If I’m going to be meeting people, that’s the kind of person I want to meet,” said Zoe. “She’s kind of radical. It’s good to see other women in a field where it’s mostly dominated by men.”
Zoe’s final mentor was Dolores, a botanist at the Smithsonian who helps reconstruct ecosystems. Although Zoe learned valuable insight in that she may not want to pursue a career in this specific field, she raved about her meeting with Dolores. “It’s cool to meet some people that open your eyes to something new, and I think that was something wonderful to realize talking to her.”
Throughout Zoe’s entire mentorship, Connecting Champions Grand Rapids Program Coordinator Danielle was there supporting her. Before each call with a mentor, Danielle and Zoe would brainstorm questions and prepare to meet with these unique individuals. “Danielle felt like someone that could be a friend to me,” Zoe said. “I didn’t have to be afraid to admit that I was nervous to talk to some of these women about their careers.”
With the wisdom of these four inspirational mentors and the support of Danielle, Zoe spent last summer working at an American conservation experience base in Hurricane, Utah. Whether she was removing invasive plants by hand or restoring campgrounds, Zoe is keeping her focus on advancing her career and doing something that she enjoys.
“This experience helped me realize that you’re not going to float on by, and some things are going to be hard,” Zoe said. “A lot of people talk about your career as if you have to settle for something that’s going to get you some money and stability. This is what I want. I might not make so much money, but I’m going to do something that I love.”
