This month, Boxerwood’s very busy sustainability educator Ginny Johnson completed a masters degree in Natural Resources from Virginia Tech. The hybrid in-person/online program enabled Ginny to continue to work for Boxerwood while concurrently earning her professional degree.We asked our young graduate about her biggest take-aways and this is what she had to say.
I learned so much about the complexities surrounding global systems such as water, energy, and agriculture. The environmental impacts of these systems are so entangled with each other and with their social and economic impacts, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all.
But just as the problems are many, so are their solutions. I feel more hopeful about the future of the planet every day that I come to Boxerwood and see how much the next generation cares and wants to help, whether through planting trees or composting or even being gentle with bugs.
In addition to learning about the various ecological issues facing the planet, much of the program also focused on career development, and I realized over and over again how much I love working at Boxerwood and how vital this work is for our community, the planet, and also for me personally.
Ginny plans to put her new insight, skills, and knowledge into gear via her ongoing work at Boxerwood as sustainability educator and COREworks coordinator. Aren’t we lucky!