05/26/2026
Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management student Emma Johnson (BS ‘26) was the student speaker for the 2026 CFANS Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 8.
Emma’s speech was nothing short of passionate, inspiring, and hopeful, reminding us of the importance of our ecosystems and our shared responsibility and role in caring for them. We are so proud of our graduates and know that her speech will have a lasting impact on our new natural resource stewards.
Emma was a research assistant in the Department of Forest Resources, working closely with Professor Mae Davenport in the Center for Changing Landscapes (CCL). She is passionate about environmental education, community engagement, and urban sustainability. These characteristics are reflected in her previous work with the CCL, Institute on the Environment, and two student positions at the Bell Museum. After graduation, she will continue to contribute to accessible environmental education at the Bell Museum as a Summer Camp Lead Educator.
Emma says, “It was an honor to speak at [commencement] on behalf of the graduating class and to celebrate everyone who helped us get to that moment. Thank you for the opportunity to share the importance of our work in CFANS and remind all of us of the responsibilities we have to one another. Thank you to my friends and family who consistently cheered me on, to the professors who taught and challenged me, to the classmates who I leaned on for support, to the Bell Museum where I found my passion for environmental education, to the Center for Changing Landscapes where I did research with amazing people, to the entire CFANS community who consistently dedicate themselves to stewardship and hope, and to all of the living beings and systems that we work with and care for, as none of us would be here without them.”
We are so 🤩
