More than a fellowship: A place to learn, grow and connect

As a PhD candidate at the University of Manitoba and a Weston Family Conservation Science Fellow with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I study how land management can maintain and recover prairie habitat for the endangered Poweshiek skipperling and Dakota skipper butterflies, each no bigger than a loonie.

I was thrilled to share my research this summer with University of Manitoba students during a field trip to Manitoba’s Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. It’s one of the last remaining patches of native tall grass prairie in Canada and one of my study sites. But one question caught me off guard. A student asked how the Fellowship had influenced me. My answer came automatically, but deep down I knew I wasn’t doing it justice. That’s stayed with me.

The short answer is that the Fellowship has been life-changing, personally and professionally.

It all started in 2022. My family and I were planning a special dinner to celebrate my birthday when I got an email from NCC. In shock, I read aloud that I had been selected for the next step in the Fellowship recruitment process: an interview with NCC staff and the supervising professor. We all hugged, and tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks.

Although the interview details are fuzzy now, I clearly remember seeing myself on the screen with the team. After years working hands-on with butterflies and other conservation projects in Mexico and Canada, I felt an instant spark at seeing a PhD project studying how to improve habitat for these endangered species. The prospect of joining this work thrilled me. My heart raced and I thought, I really want to be part of this.

Three years into my PhD, I look back and see two powerful forces guiding my journey.

My excitement wasn’t just about starting a new project and working in the beautiful prairie. It was also about joining a big, international team that shared a deep love and respect for nature. Poweshiek skipperling and Dakota skipper were once among the most common butterflies on the northern prairies. Severe population declines due to habitat loss — more than 95 per cent and 74 per cent of the two areas, respectively, where these species once lived have now been converted to other uses — alarming people from universities, non-profits, government and beyond. A large Canada-U.S.A. collaboration is working hard to bring these little butterflies back from the brink of extinction. Giving voice to endangered butterflies and working hand in hand to prevent their extinction across borders has been an extraordinary experience.

Of course, a PhD also comes with challenges like tough courses and a high-stake qualifying exam. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions and a lot of hard work for many years. What sustains me is the Fellowship community. Spread across different universities and research topics, we are bound by common purpose and a unique culture of growth, support and connection. Leadership development is a cornerstone. Through workshops, webinars and an inspiring annual retreat, we learn from conservation professionals and build skills from communications and media to goal-setting and scientific writing. Each retreat teaches us about NCC’s conservation work in a different part of Canada: Kenauk, Quebec, in 2023; Norfolk County, Ontario, in 2024; and New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island this year. I see first-hand that collaboration, perseverance and resilience make positive change.

If someone asked me today how the Fellowship has influenced me, my answer would be clear. That spark lit during my interview now fires my work. Far more than an academic experience, the Fellowship has given me confidence, skills and a vibrant community. I learn from peers and see conservation leaders not just as mentors but also as drivers of transformation. Most of all, I’ve learned that anything is possible when people come together with purpose, passion and caring.