Anya Kalsbeek is a junior biology major at Dordt College where she first became involved with prairie restoration on campus and found value in educating local communities about environmental stewardship.
Anya followed this experience with a study abroad opportunity which further sparked her passion for engagement with local communities and raising environmental awareness. She has since been involved in Dordt College’s Sustainability committee and is currently working to establish an environmental activism club on campus. While with YECA, Anya has been working to raise awareness towards environmental issues in a political setting, especially in this season of presidential candidates traveling through her area in Northwest Iowa. In her free-time, Anya enjoys reading, exploring new places, and spending time with family and friends.
Project Description: I am developing a new club on campus called the Eco-Defenders that will work toward bringing students to realize the importance of taking our role as stewards of God's creation seriously. I will also be working to recruit, cultivate, train and engage volunteers at Dordt College to reach out to Presidential candidates on clean energy and climate change solutions during the 2015 Iowa Presidential Caucus campaign process.