Joevita Weah Considers a Holistic Approach to Environmental Change in Indiana

Meet Our Fellows Blog Series: Joevita Weah

My name is Joevita Weah, and I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. During my childhood, my parents stressed the importance of education, and I had dreams of different jobs every year. I immersed myself in many activities -- art, theatre, debate, sports, trivia -- an eager learner as a child, I truly had many passions! With my broad palette, I felt like I had the world ahead of me after receiving the Lilly Endowment Scholarship to attend DePauw University. After receiving the opportunity to explore my interests through classes, internships, and extracurriculars, I decided that I wanted to spend my life studying the environment and helping people along the way. As I grew in my understanding of the environmental issues, I discovered how multifaceted helping others could be.

As graduation approached, I was cognizant of the importance to give back to the Indiana community that has helped me. I was excited about enFocus because of its location, but also because it supported Fellows in exploring their interests. As an environmental geoscience major, I am working on projects involving the scientific and social side of environmentalism. For example, through my work with the Shirley Heinze Land Trust I have investigated opportunities and developed plans that will have a direct impact on the preservation of natural areas in northwest Indiana.  I chose an enFocus Fellowship so I could take some time to think about what I wanted my life to look like in a non-academic setting. Having a variety of projects is not only supporting my professional development, but it also helping me discover different opportunities of engagement. I am thankful for the space and support that is allowing me to frame my future.

Learn more about the 2020-2022 enFocus Fellows weekly in our Meet Our Fellows Blog Series.