The Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA) is now accepting applications for Difference Maker Mentors (DMMs)—UConn undergraduates who serve as leaders for the Conservation Ambassador Program (CAP) and as near-peer mentors to high school teens as they complete a community environmental action project. We are seeking students from all majors and backgrounds who are passionate […]
Difference Makers
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor: Megan Ng
Hey everyone! My name is Megan Ng and I’m so excited to be a Difference Maker Mentor for the NRCA Conservation Ambassadors Program cohort of 2025-2026. I’m a sophomore majoring in Natural Resources with minors in Psychology and Urban and Community Studies. I have a great love for learning and I’ve been interested in […]
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor: Haley Jordan
Hi! My name is Haley Jordan (she/her) and I’m a Difference Maker Mentor for the 2025-2026 CAP Program! I’m going into my junior year as a natural resources major concentrating in fisheries and wildlife, with a minor in ecology and evolutionary biology! In high school, […]
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor: Rachel Palmer
Hello! My name is Rachel Palmer, and I’m super excited to be working as a Difference Maker Mentor for the 2025-2026 NRCA Conservation Ambassador Program (CAP). I was born and raised in central Maine. I am entering my junior year this fall, majoring in Natural Resources with a minor in Environmental Health and Safety. […]
Introducing Graduate Mentor: Shanelle Thevarajah
Hi everyone! My name is Shanelle Thevarajah and I am a second year Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut, and the Graduate Mentor for the NRCA Conservation Ambassador Program. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Science from the University of Guelph in 2019 with a focus on Zoology and Family/Child […]
Introducing Environmental Justice Education Intern: Violet Andrews
Hello! My name is Violet Andrews, and I am thrilled to be joining the Natural Resource Conservation Academy for the summer of 2025. I am a Senior pursuing a dual degree in Earth Science Education and Earth Science. I am motivated through my love for nature, the outdoors, and providing everyone with an education focused […]
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor: Tamara Parks
Hey y’all! My name is Tamara Parks, and I am currently serving as a Difference Maker Mentor for the 2024-2025 NRCA Conservation Ambassador Program. I am a first-generation undergraduate student from New Haven, CT, completing my second year at UConn and exploring my course of study through the ACES program (so, I […]
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor: Molly Daigle
Hello everyone! My name is Molly Daigle and I am a Difference Maker Mentor for the 2024-2025 NRCA Conservation Ambassador Program (CAP). I am a sophomore at the University of Connecticut majoring in Natural Resources with a concentration in fisheries and wildlife conservation. I was incredibly fortunate enough […]
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor: Gabriela Archambault
Hello! My name is Gabriela and I am one of the NRCA Difference Maker Mentors for the 2024-2025 year. I am a sophomore at the University of Connecticut and currently majoring in environmental science. I have interest in things such as ecology, conservation, and sustainability. I love to be outside, especially in the woods, and […]
Introducing Difference Maker Mentor (DMM): Julianna Service
Hiya everyone!! My name is Julianna Service and I am one of the Difference Maker Mentor (DMM) in the NRCA for the 2024-25 year! I just graduated in May ’24 from UConn with a dual degree of a B.S. in Allied Health Sciences with a minor in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a B.S. in […]