My name is Jillian Davis. I am a senior business management major and I will be working in human resources after I graduate. I chose this course because I wanted to fulfill the Honors Laureate curriculum requirements. Out of the courses offered to achieve the Honors Laureate, I chose Service Learning because I thought it would be meaningful to volunteer for a cause outside of the classroom. I also thought it would be a nice change of pace from my typical courses that involve being inside classrooms, listening to listening to lectures, and writing papers. So far, I have learned about the different perspectives people can have when interacting with nature and the implications of those perspectives. I have also learned new ideas about defining nature and how people relate to nature, particularly in urban environments.

My community partner is Wild Nest Bird Rehab. I am interested in this community partner because I like birds, and I would like to learn more about them and have the opportunity to care for them. So far, I have learned a bit about Wild Nest. They primarily care for songbirds, and the spring is when most of these birds are born, so their busiest season will begin in a few weeks. They work to rehabilitate birds so that they can be released into the wild. The birds at Wild Nest come in for a variety of reasons. Some birds have issues molting their feathers, and some have been preyed on by cats, while others may have injuries from flying into glass or be orphans. Beyond handling the birds, this organization’s volunteers can also make food for the birds. I am particularly excited to help Wild Nest with feeding baby birds, but I will have to do several weeks of training before I am able to do so. From this assignment, I hope to learn how to cultivate an environment that is bird-friendly.