In 2023, Shasta Chapter CNPS chose two shining stars to receive our annual scholarship. Both were planning to attend a four-year university and study plant sciences. But before their first college term started, one of them, Sydney Cassity of McArthur, received an opportunity to study in Argentina as a foreign exchange student through the Youth for Understanding Program. Could Shasta Chapter CNPS possibly grant her a deferral until after this gap year? The Chapter’s Executive Board did indeed grant her a deferral, with their blessings, and a year later, the Chapter received the following thank-you note.
Dear California Native Plant Society,
Thank you so much for deferring my scholarship for a year. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity! I wanted to give you a little update of what I have done since last September.
Before I left for Argentina, I made sure to get some hands-on experience working with biologists here in the States. I was able to help Spring Rivers with a Shasta crawfish population survey, plant different willow varieties on the Paynes Creek Restoration Project with Tehama Environmental, and build BDAs [beaver dam analogs] in the Humbug Valley in conjunction with Cal PBR [California Process Based Restoration Network] and Trout Unlimited.
Studying abroad and learning Spanish in Argentina turned out to be everything I had hoped for and more! Botany class was definitely difficult at first because I arrived with the Spanish skills of a 1-year-old, but I ended up learning a lot about the flora of Argentina.
Two of my biggest highlights were definitely traveling to Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi in Bariloche, Argentina, and Parque Nacional Iguazú in Misiones, Argentina. I spent one week per location camping in the heart of the national parks with privately guided hikes and tours to explore the area and learn about the different plants and animals that live in the beautiful habitats there.
For my next adventure, I will be studying at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I start this fall with a major in Bioresources and Agricultural Engineering.
Thank you again for letting me defer my scholarship for a year. I can’t say thank you enough for the opportunity! I worked my hardest to make my gap year as productive as possible, and I plan to work just as hard pursuing my degree and future career in conservation.
Sincerely,
Sydney Cassity
Since last fall when the above thank-you note was received, Sydney has further updated us that she hopes to change her major to Biology. Shasta Chapter CNPS wishes Sydney all the best in her future studies!
Applications for the 2025 Shasta Chapter CNPS Plant Biology Scholarship are now available on our website under Scholarships & Grants.
~Don Burk, Interim Scholarship Committee Chair
Photo taken May 27, 2024, by Matilda Godwin.
