and thanks to the necessary funding that the Grossman Scholarship provided me for my tuition, I am able to pursue a further education, learning about my passions. There have been many unprecedented challenges that we have all faced this year, and thankfully I find myself in a community that rises to the occasion. It is an absolute blessing that I am still able to reside on campus and attend in person classes, and it is all thanks to the efforts of the CSU community to act responsibly in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although I am so thoroughly impressed with CSU’s ability to handle the complexities of this pandemic, I had no idea what I may have been getting into before arriving at CSU. The sheer expense of college had made me doubt attending CSU prior to the pandemic, and now I faced the probability of my classes being entirely online. If it hadn’t been for the Grossman Scholarship and several others, there would not have been a single chance that I would be here today.

My passions stem from the many opportunities that I have had to recreate in the

outdoors and to learn many wonderful things about nature. I am so grateful to have lived in

Lakewood, Colorado, where so many lovely trail systems and outdoor opportunities surround

me. As a result, the manner in which I have spent the most of my time in natural spaces

consists of me hiking and trail running with my dog in the open spaces not too far away from my house. While I am on these short journeys, I love analyzing the plants that grow along the trails, where they grow, what they grow with, and how they change through the seasons. I also take pictures to document these observations, and through these efforts I have a vast collection of wildflower photos that help to demonstrate the wildflower phenology along the Front Range. I even know the Latin names of all the different wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees that I

have observed. At first, I began this documentation of native flora because I had learned about

the benefits of landscaping with native plants from resources I found through the CSU

Extension. Ultimately, this aspect of my connection to the natural world shows that I want to

protect it through learning more about it and spreading the knowledge that I gain to others.

I find it intriguing that the way I began to pursue further knowledge in understanding the

native landscapes that surround my home started with the CSU Extension program. I believe

that this demonstrates how my passion for outdoor stewardship and my desire to learn more

about nature are so deeply connected. It is this connection that drives me to study Natural

Resource Management and Restoration Ecology at CSU. I hope to acquire knowledge that will

aid in my pursuits to rehabilitate the many degraded ecosystems and communities of our

planet. Some ways that I am actively involving myself in this goal is through my position as Eco

Leader for my resident’s hall and participating as a member of the Natural Resources and

Sustainability Residential Learning Community.

There are so many opportunities here at CSU for me to explore my passions and to

expand my knowledge and love of the natural world. I cannot express the gratitude that I feel

for having the privilege to attend university without feeling the intense burden of college

tuition. I am so proud to represent the Grossman Scholarship and to be a member of the VOC

community. There is nothing better than knowing that those who care about our natural environments as much as I do are supporting me in my journey through university.

Blake is one of five students to receive VOC's Grossman Scholarship for the 2020-21 school year. VOC offers four $5,000 scholarships annually to eligible Colorado residents who have demonstrated a commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources and intend to pursue post-secondary education through an accredited environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry related education program in Colorado.

Applications for the 2021-22 school year are open through 11:59pm on March 31, 2021.