My name is Christine Jardine, and I am currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Ecology at Montclair State University. As an honors student and a certified yoga teacher, I believe that creating balance in my life and in the world around me is essential. My journey has been fueled by a desire to cultivate both inner and environmental peace, a drive that keeps me focused on preserving our planet’s ecosystems. Throughout my life, I have seen firsthand the effects of environmental degradation and social inequity on marginalized communities, which has ignited a dual passion: advocating for both endangered species and vulnerable human populations. At my university, I work in the Office of Social Justice and Diversity, where I strive to make a positive impact on campus by creating safe spaces and advocating for those who may not have a platform. My ambition is to extend this work beyond campus, bringing meaningful change to communities globally. My ultimate career goal is to work in ecosystem conservation, focusing on the protection and recovery of endangered species. While much of my passion is rooted in preserving animal habitats and addressing the threats they face, my vision goes beyond species conservation. I want to bridge conservation work with social justice, recognizing that environmental challenges disproportionately affect marginalized communities worldwide. The survival of countless species, including our own, depends on fostering a world where we respect, protect, and coexist with all forms of life. I envision a path where I am able to advocate for both endangered animal populations and human communities who have long been left out of conversations on environmental justice. Today, many of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems are threatened by human activity—deforestation, pollution, and climate change. These issues don’t only impact wildlife; they also threaten the health, culture, and livelihoods of countless people, particularly those in low-income or underfunded areas. For me, environmental conservation is also a human rights issue, as it is often marginalized communities that bear the brunt of ecological damage. Through this work, I aim to elevate the voices of those who suffer from environmental harm yet are rarely seen as part of the solution. I want to become a voice for the voiceless, advocating for change that protects biodiversity while empowering communities to fight for their right to a healthy environment. Pursuing a degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Ecology provides me with the technical foundation to address these challenges effectively. My education has taught me how interconnected our ecosystems are and how human actions ripple throughout these natural networks, affecting countless species and habitats. With courses in biology, environmental policy, and ecological conservation, I am gaining the tools and scientific understanding needed to tackle complex environmental issues with both skill and empathy. Additionally, my work at Montclair State University's Office of Social Justice and Diversity has given me invaluable experience in advocacy and community engagement. As I’ve worked to support marginalized students, I’ve learned the importance of empathy, communication, and creating inclusive spaces. These skills are transferable to environmental work, where communicating scientific knowledge and rallying community support is essential. My role allows me to advocate for people, fostering resilience and solidarity among those who may feel overlooked or isolated. Combining this experience with my environmental studies reinforces my commitment to working on behalf of vulnerable populations, be they animal or human. My dream is to protect endangered populations and ecosystems across the world. I hope to go beyond the borders of my own community, extending my work to underfunded countries that are often hit hardest by environmental degradation and social inequality. The environmental issues we face are global, and my vision includes partnering with international organizations, governments, and local communities to address the unique challenges of different regions. By fostering climate resilience and social equity, I believe that I can contribute to a healthier planet for all species. As a Black, queer woman in a STEM field that is predominantly white and male, I am aware of the barriers that exist for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Entering this field has been both challenging and rewarding, as I’ve worked to find my place and demonstrate my potential. I want to be a role model for other young women, particularly women of color, who might feel discouraged from entering environmental science or conservation due to a lack of representation. My goal is to help change the narrative around who belongs in STEM, showing that passion, talent, and determination are not defined by one’s background. I hope that through my achievements, I can inspire future generations of women like myself to pursue careers in environmental fields and make meaningful contributions to our world. Beyond serving as a role model, I aim to drive tangible change in conservation practices, incorporating the needs of both biodiversity and communities. I want to work on projects that not only protect wildlife but also empower local people to become active participants in conservation. This dual approach can help foster sustainable coexistence and ensure that solutions are equitable. I want my legacy to be one of compassion, resilience, and inclusivity, as these qualities are crucial for meaningful and lasting change. Through the financial support of this scholarship, I will be able to focus more intently on my studies, research, and fieldwork, allowing me to develop the skills and connections I need to pursue these goals. With this support, I can dedicate myself to addressing the urgent environmental and social justice issues facing our world. I am committed to building a future where all species can thrive together, and this scholarship would be a vital step in making that vision a reality.

Life is a journey, and each year, I strive to hand the baton to a better version of myself. As I look ahead, I want to promise three commitments to the woman I am becoming—promises that will create a life filled with love, purpose, and peace. First, I commit to radical acceptance—embracing everything my life has been up until now, including the trauma I’ve experienced. It’s easy to fixate on the “why” behind my challenges, but I’m learning that the key to building a better future is accepting my past, pain included. I’m giving myself grace to heal from those deep wounds, recognizing that they have shaped me but do not define me. My experiences have given me strength, compassion, and clarity. They’ve shown me what I don’t want, making room for what I do. By letting go of the need to understand why, I can focus on creating a future full of the things I desire, where healing and growth coexist. Second, I promise to show up for myself—not only by creating opportunities but by prioritizing myself emotionally in ways I didn’t learn growing up. I’m learning to honor my emotional needs and give myself the love and care I’ve often lacked. For much of my life, I felt excluded and learned to make myself small, convinced that certain spaces weren’t meant for me. But now, I’m rewriting that narrative. I will build healthy relationships, prioritize my well-being, and ensure that I no longer neglect my own needs. I’m committed to creating a life of self-love and emotional wholeness, where I show up for myself first. Lastly, I commit to resilience, but with grace. My life has required me to be resilient, often in exhausting ways. As I heal from trauma, I’m learning that resilience isn’t just about fighting through hardship—it’s about knowing when to be gentle with myself, allowing space for rest and recovery. I’ve grown used to being a fighter—the only Black woman in many of my classes, balancing two jobs while being a full-time student, and pushing through adversity. But I now understand that true resilience includes self-compassion. My future self deserves not just the strength to persevere, but also the wisdom to pause and recharge when needed. This scholarship is critical to fulfilling these promises. The financial support would allow me to focus on my education without the weight of working excessively to make ends meet. It would give me the freedom to fully participate in spaces I once felt excluded from. While resilience is important to me, constantly fighting to stay afloat is draining. This scholarship would serve as the support system I’ve never had, helping me turn my experiences into success. Growing up, financial instability shaped much of my life. My mother raised three children alone, always ensuring we had the basics, but luxuries were few. When my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my mom became her full-time caregiver, losing her job and pension. After my grandmother’s passing this summer, I became the sole financial contributor to my household. This placed enormous pressure on me, and I even considered dropping out to support my family. But I know earning my degree is the key to breaking the generational cycles in my family. I will be the first in my family to graduate from college, and this scholarship would help me make that dream a reality, allowing me to build the future I envision for myself and those I love.

As a young girl, our perception of the world is shaped by our experiences, but most importantly, by the women in our lives. Our first meaningful connection with womanhood is often formed through the bond with our maternal figure. For some, this relationship is a source of unwavering support, creating a sense of safety as they navigate the murky waters of life, knowing their mother is there to guide them. For me, that certainty was not always present in the way I needed or craved. I speak of my mother not out of critique, but to illustrate how she shaped the woman I’ve become. A single parent raising three children, she embodied resilience—juggling two jobs while pursuing higher education. Her example taught me grit, hard work, and perseverance. With this, I was also taught that emotional support was something I had to cultivate within myself. I hold no resentment for my upbringing; every experience—joyful or painful—has shaped me. Growing up with a strong but emotionally distant maternal figure taught me self-reliance. This fostered a deep sense of self-awareness and accountability. There’s something both terrifying and liberating about realizing you are responsible for your success, happiness, and well-being. This realization gave me the strength to build a beautiful life for myself. Currently, I am a sophomore in undergrad, financially supporting myself through two jobs. I prioritize my mental health, actively heal from trauma, and create a safe space within myself. While the journey is nonlinear, I am grateful to be able to navigate life's murky waters with an unconditional support system rooted within myself. This internal navigation has allowed me to extend that space to others as well. Holding myself accountable for my actions, responsibilities, and mistakes has been both challenging and rewarding. My greatest lesson has been learning to balance self-accountability with grace. Letting go of unrealistic expectations and embracing who I am each day has allowed me to show up as my authentic self. I’ve learned to distribute my energy more effectively, taking on what I can while recognizing when I need rest. Accountability means not only recognizing how we show up for ourselves but also acknowledging our impact on others. Growing up in an emotionally neglectful environment taught me to be receptive to feedback and open-minded about how my actions affect others. This has deepened my accountability in relationships and my capacity to validate others’ experiences. This journey of accountability has also redefined my idea of success. We are often fed societal expectations, especially as women, of what success should look like. For a long time, I pushed myself to excel academically, striving for validation through external achievements. However, I realized that these accomplishments didn’t fulfill me. Today, I define success as maintaining peace amid chaos and living purposefully. This newfound definition of success fuels my passion for serving others—people and the planet. As an Environmental Science student, I am dedicated to protecting natural habitats and advocating for ecosystems that cannot speak for themselves. As a yoga instructor, I create a safe space for college students to connect with their inner selves. Through my work at the Office of Social Justice and Diversity, I serve marginalized communities on campus, advocating for their rights and building inclusive spaces. I’ve understood that success is not measured by external accolades but by the peace and purpose we cultivate within and share with the world. I am committed to using my resilience, self-reliance, and sense of accountability to create positive change, both within myself and in the communities I serve.

Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the changes in my environment. I was raised in a low-income apartment complex, navigating the difficulties of a toxic household that often left me feeling isolated and unworthy. My escape was the lush woods surrounding the complex—a place where others saw danger, but I found sanctuary. In the canopy of trees, I cultivated a deep love and respect for the ecosystems around me. Those woods became my refuge, nurturing my connection with nature and inspiring me to become a tree hugger, a bug lover, and ultimately, an aspiring environmental scientist. Over time, however, I watched these ecosystems vanish, replaced by luxury housing developments that not only destroyed my natural haven but also drove up the cost of living, making it harder for my mother to support us. This experience ignited my passion for both ecosystem preservation and social equality. While this was the start of my journey, my dedication has only grown. As I learned more about the devastating impact humanity has on the environment and how our actions threaten countless species, I felt called to take action. This is why I am pursuing a degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Biology—to equip myself with the knowledge and tools to not only advocate but also conduct research that contributes to the fight against climate change. My goal is to protect not just the species we are endangering but also humanity itself. Mother Nature has been my protector since childhood; now, it’s my turn to protect her. When I first began learning about global warming as an adolescent, I was terrified and overwhelmed. But instead of succumbing to fear, I channeled it into action, researching ways to reduce my carbon footprint. I’ve been a vegetarian for six years, which has significantly reduced my environmental impact—vegetarian diets cut carbon emissions by about 50%. I also began to make more mindful choices in my daily life, from reducing energy consumption by being conscious of power and water usage to embracing recycling and upcycling. I stopped wasting clothes, choosing instead to donate or repurpose them, and I now shop exclusively at second-hand stores. Not only is this sustainable, but it has also been a financial lifesaver. I love sharing my favorite plant-based recipes with friends or taking loved ones to thrift stores to introduce them to more sustainable lifestyles. Ultimately, I believe that education is the most powerful tool for change—the more I learn, the more I can share with others. In summary, environmental advocacy is my passion, rooted in a desire for equality. My purpose is to fight for a world where the environment and social justice go hand in hand. Protecting vulnerable ecosystems is as important to me as fighting for the rights of marginalized communities. Both are essential to creating a healthier, more just world.

A Journey of Healing and Alchemizing Pain On the morning of October 14, 2023, I embarked on a significant chapter of my healing journey: I attended my first clinical therapy session. The therapist, a kind-eyed woman with a gentle demeanor, asked me standard questions to gauge my mental health. One question, "Have you ever tried therapy before?" struck a chord. It highlighted how stigmatized mental health had been in my life. I recounted the first time I became aware of therapy and the harsh response I received when I asked my family to attend. Once being greeted by a slap across the face, my father, drunk and dismissive, told me therapy was for rich white people, and my mother warned that sharing family matters with a stranger would be disgraceful. Finally, at eighteen, I could sign myself up for therapy as a legal adult, having waited for this moment since I was seven. Though I had been my own therapist for eleven years, this self-reliance fostered a deep understanding of myself and a resilience that I wouldn't have gained otherwise. I realized early on that my path to success required significant healing. As I delved deeper into self-discovery, I started using the term "alchemizing" instead of healing. Alchemizing (noun): A seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination. In my view, it is a form of spiritual liberation arising from detachment from worldly experiences. It is the process of transforming pain into inspiration and refusing to let trauma define or limit my ability to create a beautiful life. I come from a lineage of men and women burdened with pain and deprived of the tools to transform it into love. As a result, I was taught that love equaled pain and that pain was an inevitable part of life. A higher power seemed to decide that I would bear a seemingly unbearable weight, forcing me to either alchemize my pain or die. While alchemizing was not my innate response, thankfully that same higher power took the second option away from me, giving me a second chance at this beautiful journey that is life. I first learned that self-willed death was an option much too young: the victim who neared such an undeserving death was my mother. I can remember as early as seven, whilst in the kitchen helping my mother make dinner, I began to see her cry. I hugged her for a seemingly infinite moment and stood on my tippy toes, wiping the tears off of her face. I asked her what was wrong. To this day, I can remember the sound of her whisper “I simply want to die”. This wasn't the first or last time I heard those words, and eventually, I echoed them myself. Words have immense power, a truth I underestimated until I saw my mother’s words manifest into action and I was the one fighting between her and that self-induced attempt at death. Through shared strength, my mother and I are still here, and we now find solace in simple joys, like walking in the park together and spotting blue jays. Mental illness can steal joy and destroy lives, but I am determined to restore joy to my mother's heart and help her find the beauty in life. Carrying my family’s pain has been a heavy burden. My parents suffer from untreated mental illness, and as the youngest of eight siblings, I am the only one actively breaking the cycle. I have lost four siblings to generational trauma—one to death, two to drugs, and another to jail. The remaining siblings suppress their pain, risking it manifesting into something destructive. Despite the weight of my family’s pain, it does not define me; my response to it does. My therapist once asked how I maintain hope and love despite enduring so much trauma. The answer lies in finding love in every crevice of life, especially where it is absent. Many situations left me feeling abandoned and unworthy, but instead of personalizing this pain, I chose to alchemize it. Alchemizing has allowed me to detach from past and ongoing traumas and build a beautiful life for myself. During some of the most challenging years of my life, I proudly came out to the world, built a loving relationship with my first girlfriend, excelled academically, got into all of my colleges, and evolved as a human being. Today, as I continue to process my trauma and its impact on my subconscious and mental health, I am proud to maintain a healthy relationship with my girlfriend, surrender to the journey of therapy, nourish myself, and find joy in the simple magic of the human experience. I attribute much of my resilience to actively seeking light in dark times. There is beauty in pain, often found in lessons. Growing up without unconditional love taught me to love others deeply, fostering fulfilling relationships. Financial instability taught me to save and manage money, enabling me to pay for my college education solely with my income and the support of scholarships. The abuse and neglect I faced taught me to be gentle with myself and cater to my needs without relying on others. Watching my family’s struggles taught me to be kind to others, as we never know what burdens they carry themselves. Everyone has a story with chapters of pain they’ve endured, and we are all just trying our best to alchemize our experiences and stay alive. However, my journey has shown me that "staying alive" should not be the standard. We can grow through what we go through and emerge as more vibrant, loving individuals. Our struggles and mental illnesses do not define us. By being open about our challenges, we make room for support to flow in and receive tools to create a beautiful life for ourselves beyond mere survival. We all deserve to restore joy in our hearts and thrive.