|
Single mother achieves dreamThe bachelor's degree that Kimberly Anderson was awarded last month was the culmination of a dream that had been sadly interrupted some 20 years earlier. Anderson was in her junior year studying biology at the University of Illinois when her parents died, and as a result she left school. "But it was always my dream to go back and finish some day," she said. Circumstances led her to Rhode Island, and seven years ago she began taking classes at URI. While caring for her three growing sons, she excelled in the classroom. Anderson was recently recognized with the Estes Benson Award for Academic Achievement as the graduating African-American student at URI with the highest grade point average. Following the awards ceremony, State Rep. Melvoid Benson said: "Kim is a true example of what can happen when we make education possible for people who want to get off welfare and make a contribution to society. When a college education is attainable, great things can happen." Anderson's interest in environmental protection led her to pursue a degree in environmental economics and management. "I've always been drawn to biology and the environment, but back when I started college the environmental field was really in its infancy," she said. Over the last two years, Anderson's passion for the environment earned her three prestigious Coastal Fellowships that allowed her to undertake a variety of environmental research and outreach projects. She began at the Southern New England Forest Consortium in 1999 conducting a survey of public officials on the cost of community services and the value of open space. "It was really my first opportunity to work get my feet wet," she recalled. Her next fellowship found her working with an environmental planner at the R.I. Dept. of Environmental Management studying watersheds. Among other things, she assisted in the creation of a directory of water-related groups in the state and collected data on water pollution, storm water issues, and drinking water protection. Since her graduation, Anderson has begun a third fellowship, this time working with Geographic Information System maps and teaching local teachers how to use the maps in the classroom. Though she's not entirely sure what she'll be doing after that, she said the Coastal Fellowships have given her great insight into her chosen field. "Environmental economics is all about tradeoffs," explained Anderson. "When talking about what kind of building you're going to do in your town, there's always tradeoffs between open space and residential and commercial development. I think of environmental economists as the middle-men empowering people to make decisions about their environment." Looking back on the 20 years since she began her college education, Anderson concluded, "It's been a difficult road, but I did it and so I know others can do it, too. I would recommend it for anyone." By Todd McLeish |
|
