Sarah Collins, 2021 AWSN Scholarship Recipient

Sarah Collins is a fourth year Bachelor of Science in Forestry student. She was born in Calgary, has lived in Medicine Hat, St. Albert, Edmonton, and is currently residing in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Sarah returned to university after an almost decade-long hiatus from school due to life setbacks. Completing her degree has been a consistent goal, and she is excited to achieve it in 2022. Sarah is currently serving as a Junior Tree Sales Representative with the University of Alberta Forest Society. The Society offers mentorship and networking opportunities, as well as fostering a sense of camaraderie among environmental science students. Sarah has served Rocky Mountain House as the coordinator for Santas Anonymous, the start-up fundraising coordinator for the Medical Equipment Lending Society, and a foster home for the local animal rescue. She also volunteers as a youth mentor in her community through the school system. Sarah strongly believes that community resiliency is dependent on citizen participation and self-determination when problem solving. She chose forestry because she has always cherished the northern wilderness of Canada, primarily thanks to her grandmother, whose beautifully orated stories about the north will always resonate with her. Sarah is deeply invested in passing along knowledge, life skills and appreciation for the natural world to younger women, as they were passed on to her.