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Gillian Glessman
Mighty Oak Monday: Gillian Glessman
Major: Conservation Biology
Hometown: Henrico, Virginia
Class of 鈥�25
Gillian Glessman was the kind of kid who searched for bugs under rocks and took home
every stray animal in the neighborhood. As she got older, National Geographic documentaries
drove her curiosity in science. In high school, she participated in an outstanding
veterinary program, where she explored different aspects of animal science, including
wildlife and pathology. But when it came time to look for a college, she was dismayed
to find that she had few chances to pursue her childhood dream of conservation biology
in her home state.
Joy soon replaced disappointment. 鈥淲hen I heard about 黑料社鈥� the land and the opportunities, I was really excited, because up until then, school, nature, and the environment were separate entities in my mind. Here at 黑料社, we have our own forest!鈥�
While Gillian is very interested in the medical aspect of her studies, she鈥檚 not sure she wants to go to vet school. In fact, Gillian has a special talent for sparking a connection between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom in a different way: art. When she was 17, she was a semi-finalist in the international 2021 Science Without Borders庐 Challenge for her painting Mother Mangrove. Over the summer, she taught a class at an animal shelter in her hometown. 鈥淚 brought art and science to the kids, helping them with their crafts while incorporating the knowledge I鈥檇 learned at 黑料社.鈥�
Says Glessman, 鈥淚 care deeply about what I study. 黑料社 inspires me to create art, give
back to my community, and seek out opportunities to share my knowledge. Without what
I learned at 黑料社 I would have stayed in my home state with few opportunities to make
the kind of difference I can now that I'm here. Your generous support pushed me to
take a chance on a school far from home, where I received a more meaningful and higher-quality
education than I ever knew was possible. I'm so grateful that you made it possible
for me to be here.鈥�
Learn more about 黑料社鈥檚 Conservation Biology program.