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The Brittney Fox Watts Endowment for Study Abroad in Sustainability
The Brittney Fox Watts Endowment for Study Abroad in Sustainability provides support to students who share passions for travel, experiencing different cultures, and embracing sustainable practices to address the health and well-being of individuals and communities around the globe. A minimum $500 enhancement will be provided to select UGA undergraduate and graduate students attending a UGA sponsored Education Abroad or exchange program focused on sustainability. These funds are provided through the generous support of family and friends of Brittney Fox Watts to the Brittney Fox Watts Memorial Fund.
Download an Application and a Faculty / Staff Recommendation Form.
Application Deadline: October 2013 (TBD)
Applications are due to the UGA Office of Sustainability via email to sustain@uga.edu by close of business on October 21, 2012 for study abroad programs during Spring 2013, Summer 2013, and Fall 2013.
Eligibility / Requirements
3.0 minimum GPA required. Preference given for academic merit, strong record of extra-curricular and service activities, strong faculty recommendation, demonstrated financial need, as well as depth of sustainability study and planned application of knowledge gained. Additional preference is given to students from Roswell, GA.
Within one month of returning from an education abroad experience, fund recipients shall provide to the Office of Sustainability a) two or more photos from the study abroad experience and b) written description of learning outcomes in the form of one or more personal reflections.
Program Contacts
Kevin Kirsche, Director, Office of Sustainability, kkirsche@uga.edu, 706-542-1301
Jennifer Dunlop, Sustainability Coordinator, Office of Sustainability, jdunlop@uga.edu , 706-542-1301
Study Abroad Programs to Consider
UGA offers several wonderful opportunities to expand your horizons through Education Abroad.
Two specific programs with a strong focus on sustainability include UGA Costa Rica and Discover Abroad.
2012 Brittney Fox Watts Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients
Joni Troxel, senior Early Childhood Education major from Snellville, GA
Discover Abroad Australia & New Zealand,Wintermester 2012-2013
View Joni’s Digital Story
Personal Reflection:
My name is Joni Troxel, and I went on the study abroad trip to Australia and New Zealand this winter semester.
Most people’s views of progress still incorporate the Victorian ideal, which is tied to economic growth. Through this study abroad program to Australia and New Zealand, I have seen that progress is not always about exploiting resources for the most gains, but rather creating a community that is able to live sustainably and in sync with nature. My view of progress has changed after having participated in this program to incorporate a more ethical and moral ideal. Having as much material items as a person can should not be a goal in life. Positive relationships with other people and the environment are the most important things in my opinion to living a happy life. Instead of exploiting the environment for material gain, people need to work with the environment and protect it in order to get the most out of life. My opinion of progress is people working towards bettering the world that they live in and learning to live a life that is not all about making money.
I have been very passionate about protecting the environment for a long time. I do as much as I can to personally reduce my impact on the environment and teach people things that they can do to also reduce their human footprint. This study abroad program has helped me see the larger aspects of living in a sustainable world and I have learned more about why it is important to protect the great biodiversity on the planet. On this trip, I saw so many amazing and different ecosystems and got to be a part of the natural world around me. I got bit by a parrotfish in the Great Barrier Reef and stung by a jellyfish in Noosa. Even though some people may view those things as not enjoyable, I’m glad that they happened to me because they are just two more things that happened to me on the trip that I will never forget and they are funny stories to tell. I know that most people did not enjoy all of the leeches in Binna Burra or the sand flies in Fiordland, but I appreciate them being there because that is their natural habitat and I’m sure that they are important animals in each of those location’s ecosystems. Some people feel like they are entitled to do what they want to nature, but I believe that humans should not change the environment, but rather learn to live within it’s means. We visited a lot of different small businesses that are trying to have a business model that does not hurt nature such as the dolphin tours in Kaikoura, Forks Farm, and Doubtful Sound cruises.
Visiting Australia and New Zealand has been such a great experience for me. I met so many great people that I will never forget and learned a lot about the culture, environment, and issues faced by each of these countries.
I will never forget my time spent on this Discover Abroad trip, and I will use my new understanding of progress and sustainability hen making decisions in the future.
About the Brittney Fox Watts Memorial Endowment
As a University of Georgia alumnus, Brittney was a dabbler and explorer of the world around her and was wholeheartedly dedicated to doing her best work, no matter the cause, newest hobby, or challenge at hand. We truly believe if there is a little of Brittney in all of us, this world will be a happier, more compassionate, and loving place.
The family of Brittney Fox Watts joins with the Small Dreams Foundation, Inc. to create a memorial fund to honor Brittney’s creative spirit, adventurous soul, and loving heart. It is their hope that this fund will provide financial support to students who share the same passions as Brittney – who loved traveling the world, experiencing different cultures, and supporting sustainable practices. Their mission is to empower individuals to address the health and well-being of people and communities around the globe.