Brooke Davis
Brooke Davis was born in Texas, but has lived in Kuna, Idaho for most of her life. She loves to be outdoors whether it is camping, rafting, or hiking. Throughout her education, she’s had the privilege to learn and compete in topics such as forestry, land and soil evaluation, and environmental and natural resources. She has also had opportunities to teach children in topics encompassing agriculture and the environment.
Brooke is majoring in Environmental Studies at Boise State and through this field of study, her goals for the future are to be able to educate others in conservation and sustainability. She’s very passionate about taking care of nature and learning all that she can about it. As of right now, Brooke hopes to work in a position where she can inform the public and be involved in forestry and/or the National Park Service.
Through this Andrus Scholars award, she is grateful to be in a position to learn all that she can about how environmental agencies operate and gain as much experience in both field and office work. She wants her impact to be one of conservation, education, and sustainability. Brooke wants to leave people more knowledgeable of their part on our planet and with a passion for nature.
Dallas Smith
Her decision to attend Boise State University was made after spending several years after graduating high school working in the service and hospitality industry. Dallas found that her real passion lies in environmental conservation and protection.
The conviction she feels to dedicate her time and efforts towards making a difference for the future of the environment comes from what it means to her. Public lands in the United States have been where she has made wonderful memories with family and friends and where many valuable resources that we depend on are stored. Her passion for the environment and public lands also stems from her enjoyment in outdoor recreation. Hiking, mountain biking, and skiing in the incredible landscape the beautiful state of Idaho offers has developed her interests in seeing that these places are protected and managed efficiently.
Dallas looks forward to gaining valuable fieldwork experience and to making connections with people in the environmental industry as an Andrus Scholar interning with the Bureau of Land Management. She intends to learn just what it means to manage public lands for future generations. Her plan is to take this experience as an opportunity to expand her environmental knowledge and put into practice what she’s learned so far in her two and a half years at Boise State. The Bureau of Land Management offers a multi-use model for their lands, and Dallas looks forward to being a part of the agency and to continuing her career after graduation. She has a commitment to being an environmental steward.
Garrett Hays
Garrett Hays will be a graduating senior at Boise State University, majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice and receiving a certificate in Conflict Management.
He was born and raised in Rocklin, California, which is a suburb right above Sacramento. Ever since Garrett was a kid, he has been engaged in outdoor activities with family and friends. Every summer, his family and him would camp all around California to see new places and gain new experiences. From Yosemite to Scotts Flat Lake, every adventure was different, but each shared the same value. He has also participated in the Scouts BSA program for about 12 years and received his Eagle Scout Award in 2015. He was taught to always be considerate of the environment around him and to always leave no trace.
The adventures in Scouts helped him become the person he is today and continue to influence his life on a daily basis. Garrett’s passion for the environment has stemmed from early childhood experiences and continues to grow within him because of opportunities like this. His career goal is to become a conservation officer with a state agency and be on the front lines of the environmental justice movement.
Because he is an Andrus Scholar, he’s able to explore his passion for conservation in the wonderful state of Idaho with the great agency that is Idaho Fish and Game. As he works for Idaho Fish and Game, he hopes to learn more about protecting our environment and teaching others about the importance of the outdoors that surround us. He believes, with knowledge, the next generation of environmentalists have the power to change our Earth for the better.
Lauren Noeker
Lauren is a fifth generation Boise native and has spent her entire life exploring Idaho’s wilderness. From a very young age, she’s had a great appreciation for the environment and always has had a passion to protect and care for the natural world. As a local, she has deep connections with the culture and ecosystems surrounding the city and wishes to continue to preserve the unique landscapes we have here in Idaho. Lauren has and continues to spend countless hours in the environment, hiking, cycling, and swimming in the unique landscapes of her home.
Alongside her love for the outdoors, she is an avid photographer and loves to capture the breathtaking beauty of Idaho’s public lands. With these passions for the environment and her love for her hometown, she decided to attend BSU to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies, of which she is in her junior year of study. Lauren came into Boise State with an Associate’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) and continues to apply her knowledge in those fields into her current degree path. Having a well-rounded education will guide her in a career in sustainability and conservation and allow her to serve the planet to the best of her ability.
As an Andrus Scholar, she wishes to continue Governor Andrus’ visions of appropriate and sustainable use of natural resources and public lands, prolonging his deeply impactful ideals for Idaho. Lauren hopes that her experience working with the Idaho Conservation League will catalyze a career rooted in conservation and stewardship for our environment, especially here in the Gem State.
Parker Aiello
Having grown up five miles in, on a dirt road near a tiny town in Northern California, Parker has always had a love for the outdoors. Since she could walk she could be found exploring the miles and miles of public lands near her home, soon becoming an enthusiastic environmentalist. Wanting to explore her passion for sustainability, Parker transferred from a local community college to Boise State University to pursue a four-year degree. Deciding she wanted a more global perspective that would allow her to address environmental issues from a variety of disciplines and perspectives, Parker chose to major in global studies with an emphasis in sustainable futures. As she gained more knowledge, she realized the complexity of environmental issues demanded dispute resolution and second language abilities and added two certificates to her degree, one in Spanish and one in conflict management.
To further explore her passion for sustainability and conservation, Parker decided to complete an internship with Campus Sustainability in the fall of her senior year, which gave her a strong foundation in public outreach and fueled her passion for a career in environmental conservation. Upon graduation in May, she aspires to use the skills she has gained to make a positive impact in the world through working with environmentally focused governmental and non-governmental organizations in Boise and around the world. Parker is ecstatic to have been chosen as a 2022 Andrus Scholar and is determined to use her internship with the Environmental Management Office of the Idaho Army National Guard to bring about positive change and be a guardian of Idaho’s beautiful public lands. She believes this opportunity will put her on a path to have a profound impact in environmental conservation and allow her to take another step towards making a difference in the world.