Olivia Upton ’25, a Bonner Leader and environmental science and sustainability major from Windsor, Virginia, is doing her part to teach future generations about cherishing and protecting the environment.
For her Bonner legacy or capstone project, Upton is developing an environmental education curriculum for Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center, a nonprofit day camp and nature center located a few miles from the University of Lynchburg.
Camp Kum-Ba-Yah also is Upton’s Bonner service site. Bonners typically work at a single location for all four years in the service-based, scholarship program.
Olivia Upton ’25
“I primarily work to develop and facilitate educational activities during school field trips, coordinate volunteer activities and experiences, and help out with any other tasks that are needed,” Upton said.
“Every day is different at camp, and I’ve been able to learn a lot about nonprofit management through my work.”
Before graduating, Bonners complete a meaningful project, oftentimes at their service site.
As defined by The Corella & Bertram Bonner Foundation, which funds Bonner Programs at 70 U.S. colleges and universities, a Bonner’s capstone project “serves a civic purpose” and “can allow the student to do something that builds the capacity of a local community or promotes awareness and action on a social issue.”
Upton’s project also is part of her Westover Honors thesis.
“The Westover portion has been more the research and scholarly work, while the Bonner portion has been the hands-on activities: helping to organize curriculum and putting together educational kits … to build capacity for future program expansion at camp,” she explained.
“The research itself is far from done, as the study of environmental education is still relatively new, but my research should act as a preliminary phase in studies of this kind of work. Hopefully, in the future other students will be able to continue this work.
“The beauty of this action-based study … is that I was still able to apply what I learned to further programming at camp and provide them with climate-focused games.”
In addition to her involvement in Bonner, Upton also is a Noyce Scholar. The Noyce Scholarship Program at Lynchburg prepares STEM — science, technology, engineering, mathematics — students for careers in diverse classrooms.
Upton said the Bonner and Noyce programs have helped shape the future she envisions for herself.
“I’ve found a love for environmental education,” she said. “In my future career, I hope to work closely with communities toward the advancement of environmental sustainability and justice, conduct field research that contributes to conserving natural ecosystems, and make a difference by educating others about the role they play within our environment.
“I feel Bonner and many of my experiences at Lynchburg have helped me grow into the person I am today. I feel prepared for my next steps and truly feel I have found my passion. Through … my legacy project, I’ve been able to show my passion for this type of work and create a tangible impact.”
After graduating from Lynchburg in May, Upton will head to Virginia’s Eastern Shore, where she’ll be a Summer Programs Assistant at Chincoteague Bay Field Station, a marine science education facility that provides people of all ages with opportunities to learn about the environment and enjoy nature.
“I’m pursuing opportunities in the field of environmental education and conservation,” Upton said. “Unsure of all that will happen regarding my career field, at the moment I’m searching for and taking opportunities I know I will enjoy.”
One thing Upton is certain about is her feelings about Bonner. “I cannot recommend the program enough,” she said. “It has helped me grow as a leader, given me a supportive community, helped me pursue my interests, created lasting relationships, and so much more.
“Bonner has been one of the most influential parts of my college experience, and I’m so lucky to have been a part of that community. Bonner truly is the type of program where you put in what you get out, and if you put in a love for service and the hope to develop you are guaranteed to get even more out of it.”
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