Missouri Conservation Corps is VERY excited to welcome our new AmeriCorps VISTA member Anna Do to our organization, and to Columbia, Missouri!
Anna grew up in Dothan, Alabama, where she was raised in the warm, humid, southern heat and a mere hour’s drive from the Florida coast. When she wasn’t in her Alabama hometown, she spent summers with her family in Vietnam under the blistering tropical sun. That is to say, she’s seen more sand than snow, and the Missouri cold is a very new experience… But! With every new experience comes a new appreciation, and she’s quickly learned how to bundle up for the cold.
Anna earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences at the University of Alabama, where her love for nature and community flourished. Throughout her time there, she was inspired, over and over again, to challenge her own systems of thinking and open her heart to communities of all walks of life. From the days she spent hiking along the Cahaba River and exploring the rock bluffs of Hurricane Creek, she knew that nature’s magic had her fully enchanted. More than any single class, she most enjoyed the conversations she had with her instructors and peers—the ones where their passion for the environment and how to be a better part of it shone. It was during this time that she solidified a want in herself: to help integrate people with the wondrous natural world.
Most recently, Anna had the pleasure of working in the UA Natural Collections, where she stuck her hands into way too many jars of ethanol and spent much too much time staring at decades-old reptiles and amphibians. Her time there helped her learn about the importance of citizen scientists and how little efforts evolve into a greater network of progress and community. Now, she aspires to take her amalgamation of skills and craft herself into a citizen who can confidently serve as both an AmeriCorps VISTA and a Missouri Conservation Corps member.
Outside of work, Anna enjoys the arts, music, and soaking in the sunlight. She can often be found at museums, galleries, theatres, or walking a trail on sunny days. There is so much to experience here in Columbia, and she is very excited to spend the next year in such a vibrant city. Anna hopes to meet all of the enthusiastic nature-lovers and volunteers that support all the work the MCC does very soon!
