At Colorado State University, Hannah Hatheway found a place to explore a career in natural resources and make a difference.
Their experience mentoring youth with the Campus Connections program led to a desire to work with at-risk youth and a certificate in Youth Mentoring. Campus Connections Therapeutic Youth Mentoring program is a service-learning course at Colorado State University and a program serving local youth.
“As a mentor and eventually a student-leader in the Campus Connections mentoring program, I learned social justice, empathy, listening skills and how to build relationships,” Hatheway said. “It gave me friends and allowed me to help create a safe and welcoming space for diverse youth and mentors.”
Through their experiences, Hatheway said they want to continue to work with people.
“I want to keep finding roles where I can help people feel loved and cared for,” said Hatheway, who will graduate on May 14 with a degree in natural resources management from the Forest and Rangeland Stewardship department in the Warner College of Natural Resources.
Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Assistant Professor Camille Stevens-Rumann said she was inspired by Hatheway’s diligent work to complete an honors thesis focused on early post-fire recovery of the Calwood Fire and supported other projects in Stevens-Rumann’s lab.
“I have continued to be impressed with their involvement and interest that spans multiple projects,” Stevens-Rumann said. “Without Hannah, our lab would not be as functional as it is today.”
Hatheway is now a co-author for a peer-reviewed journal submission using their thesis and the associated data for the project.
Stevens-Rumann also recognized that Hatheway contributed to the community around them with their involvement outside of the classroom.
“I cannot sing enough praises of my joy in engaging with Hannah and all their hard work goes well beyond my knowledge and lab,” Stevens-Rumann said. “They are a critical member of our larger campus community and the department environment.”
Hatheway recently received the Celebrate! Colorado State Exceptional Achievement in Service-Learning Student Award. The award celebrates social or environmental contributions achieved through an academic service-learning course, a supervised internship or professional project, or community-engaged research. They also received the Outstanding Senior in Natural Resources Management Award from Warner College.
This summer, Hatheway will be working on a trail crew for the US Forest Service in Norwood, Colorado.
A Q&A with Hannah Hatheway
Q: How did you end up at CSU and studying natural resource management?
A: My parents and grandparents attended CSU, so I was very familiar with the university. We also came to football games as a family almost every year. I also decided to come to CSU because of the diverse opportunities for majors. I knew I wanted something environmentally focused but was not sure much beyond that, and CSU was a perfect place for me to start exploring that interest!
After my freshman year in engineering, I realized I wanted something more immersed in nature. I chose Warner, and then one of my supervisors encouraged me to explore the natural resources management major because of the diverse classes and exposure I would get. I ended up loving the potential career opportunities, classes, and people… and I decided to stick with the degree!
Q: What will you miss most about CSU?
A: I will really miss walking through a campus that has been my home for four years. I will miss my mentoring program the most. It has been a place of growth, support, and community for three years, and I am really going to miss connecting with and supporting all the youth and mentors.
Q: Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?
A: Connect with your professors, even if it is just one to start with. Most of them are amazing people who want to help you succeed, and building relationships with them can make a big college campus a little less scary. And a lot of the time, they will buy you a coffee!
