2007 Maryland Scholarship Recipient – Colleen Ferris

It’s amazing the years that have passed since our last communication.  Like a dropped ball of yarn that spins and unravels – time, too, can get away from you. I trust that you and your family are happy, healthy, and ready for summer.  As for me, I’ll give the skinny…

My last update was January 2011 when I had just graduated college and was packing for the Peace Corps.  I have since left and returned after 27 months serving in the Dominican Republic as a Peace Corps Environmental Volunteer.  As a volunteer I wore many hats pairing up with members of my community to facilitate projects.  In my years in the DR I primarily focused on environmental education and conservation of underwater patrimony.  When I wasn’t teaching, I could have been found eating mangos and generally trying to survive public transportation.  I arrived home to Maryland May 2013 to visit family and friends before taking off for the next adventure, Alaska.

Between Summer 2013 and today, I have had an amazing time reintegrating into American society, working, adventuring and studying.  I have backpacked Western Europe, received my certificate as a Wilderness EMT, worked as an adventure scientist on the Great Plains in Eastern Montana, and worked seasonally as a Naturalist in a National Park in Alaska.  I will be working the my second summer season in Alaska and will spend a few months this winter in South America, only to return to beautiful Montana to purse life in the West.

I will be (once again) out of communication in the park and will be back in the swing of things with email this fall.

All the best,Colleen

Hi Colleen – what a treat to hear from you.  And what a life you are leading!   Did you ever think it would be this way? I have a personal friend who lives in Alaska who is also a fellow board member on the Fallen Heroes Portrait Foundation.  I wonder if he is close to where you are.  He is near Fairbanks.

How are you able to move about like you do…..are you like a independent contractor or do you work for a government or non-profit agency?  Anyway – more power to you for figuring it all out.

As for us, we just gave out our 25th scholarship. Most have been at Severna Park but some in Florida as well. I know what you mean about the time…..strangely it seems to go faster the older we get. Eric would have been 28 years old last week.  It seems bizarre to even think of him being that old.

We had four scholarship awardees at SPHS this past year (2 for Eric’s memorial scholarship and 2 for a scholarship that we partnered with the Travis Manion Foundation.  Travis is another fallen hero).  I am trying to arrange a get together for all 4 families in July at a park in Pasedena where we can BBQ and get to know each other a little better. We are trying to establish a lasting personal connection without being a burden to anyone.

You were the very first scholarship winner and the fact that you are considerate enough to stay in touch 7 seven years later helps me to know that we made the right choice.  Thank you for dong that Colleen.

Warm regards
Eric and Wendi Herzberg

January 2014 update:

Hi Herzbergs – Thank you for getting in touch! I just arrived in Germany from Morocco and will be home in the States next week.  I will be sure to write something and send it next week on my layover when I have better internet.   Talk to you soon and Happy 2014!

Colleen

Dear Colleen – fantastic – great to hear from you.  You are seeing the world – amazing!

Happy New year
Eric and Wendi Herzberg

January 2011 update:

Dear Eric and Wendi
Happy New Year!

I am finally pulling loose ties together and getting organized. I am home in Maryland and the holidays are settling down. I finished my degree and am currently waiting to depart for the Peace Corps. I will be serving in the Dominican Republic from March 1st to May 2013. I will be a Community Environmental Development volunteer. The main projects that volunteers in my sector do are…food security, rural community organic gardens, ecotourism, youth environmental education, and energy conservation. I am thrilled for my assignment and can’t wait to begin!

Other than that, I am visiting family and friends that I haven’t seen in quite some time! I sent along some photo’s… one of my mom Molly and I at graduation (on the right),
myself on the trail in Bozeman, MT over Thanksgiving, a 600+ lb male Grizzly that I helped radio collar for a research project, and Adam and I doing field work in a stream in Montana.

All and all, I am well.  How are you and Wendi doing?  How was your holidays and how did the Marine Corps marathon go?? That is truly amazing to honor your son in a way that challenges you both physically and mentally….way to go!

Cheers,
Colleen

December 2009 update:
Eric and Wendi,
It sounds like your holidays are bustling with cheer! Have a wonderful time with your family and I wish you all a blessed new year.

I just got accepted into another field program focusing on endangered wildlife in the Northern Rockies for part of the summer and then I may have the opportunity to do field work assisting a Grizzly Bear DNA project as well. I will then move on to my final semester at the University in the Fall and graduate early in December. So that takes us to plan for Christmas 2010! If I come home before then I promise to get in contact early to let you all know. When the Holiday craziness calm’s down I will send an update and a few photo’s.

Merry Christmas and have a safe, fun New Year!

August 2009 update:
Dear Mr. Herzberg: One more summer has come and gone and as I’m packing for the fall I was reminded of Eric’s scholarship that I am very thankful for. His scholarships over the past two years have helped me financially reach my goals of going to the University of Montana. It has given me the freedom to work on my academics rather than worrying about tuition. Time has been going by so fast! I’m leaving for a field semester that is located in Northwest Montana, in the Swan Valley. I will be with a small group of students living sustainably on a homestead conducting classes outside and working on mini research projects. It’s an intensive semester so I will be done in two months then I will come home to Maryland to work and see my family. I will then drive out for spring semester in January. I am really excited about the field semester. It focuses on rural communities, wildlife and conservation biology. Really cool stuff! When I get back I will start looking at graduate schools, I’m really interested in Masters International. Its is a mix of the Peace Corps and graduate school. But thats to think about later.

How is your family doing and your year going? Any thing exciting happening this summer? Thank you for your support and I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely, Colleen Ferris

Colleen – you certainly have made the most of your opportunities so far. We know your family is very proud of you and so are we.

January 2009 update:
Dear Mr. Herzberg: Montana is awesome! I totally understand when people say they go west and don’t leave. I’m truly captivated by the mountains and all of nature’s beauty. This past semester was challenging trying to balance all the outdoor activities I wanted to do with school but I managed to juggle everything pretty well. I took 19 credits and finished this semester with a 3.6 and also got the chance to backpack in the Kootenai National Forest, rock climb in Lolo National Forest, play in Idaho hot springs, mountain biked and so much hiking. I also got to spend a long weekend in Seattle with some friends and we explored the famous Pike’s Place Market. I spent Thanksgiving out in the Bitteroot Mountain Range in a cabin along side the West Fork Rock Creek with some other east coaster’s and had a blast! School is great, I realized that as much as I love photography the Journalism program is not for me so I’m going to continue with a single major of Ecology and Organismal Biology. Of course I will continue with photography on the side like I always have. My goals are still set high to work with large mammals abroad and make an impact with the environment. I can’t wait to go back and see all the snow their getting and try my luck with skiing and snowboarding!. Hope all is well with you and your family.
Sincerely, Colleen Ferris

Colleen – you are one amazing person and truly have a zest for life. I know Eric is very proud of you and so are we.

September 2008 update:
Dear Mr. Herzberg – As the summer is coming to a close I’m preparing to pack for the fall but instead of beach clothes and sandals, I’m packing winter jackets and hiking boots. After a year at the beach studying marine science, Ive decided to follow my gut and study zoology and photojournalism. Those majors are taking me out to the University of Montana! With excellent environmental programs with opportunities to do research in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks and scenery meant for a photo major, Montana seems like a promising opportunity. I really enjoyed my time down south, I truly met some friends for life, but with aspirations of a career with animals vet school in the future?!) and possibly photography I feel like this is a change for the better. Its going to be such an adventure and I’m totally up for it! I’m going to continue to email and send photo’s for the website to let you know how every things going. I hope your enjoying your summer, talk to you soon!

Colleen – you will never go wrong following your passion. Do we see working for National Geographic in your future? Hopefully, we can post some of your photos here when you become famous!

April 2008 update:
Miss Ferris is attending Coastal Carolina University and studying marine science. She is off to a great start having won two photography contests through the university newspaper. She currently is the photographer for the Coast Club rugby team – she says it’s a blast!. She has finished her first semester on the Dean’s List with a 3.9 GPA. She is working part-time at a restaurant and she is also working out on the track to stay in shape. It sounds like she is thriving in her new surroundings. Good job Colleen – we look forward to the next update!