Digital Strategy meets boots-on-the-ground conservation
After navigating the complexities of Chilean visas and residency requirements,Lombard Fellow Summer Hargrave ‘25 arrived on Isla San Cristóbal this past October to begin her field experience with Education for Nature-Galápagos (E4NG).
Now midway through her Lombard post-graduate fellowship, Summer is hard at work bridging the gap between digital strategy and grassroots environmental education.
Bridging Digital Strategy and Community Outreach
Summer’s work with E4NG is divided between high-level communications and direct community engagement. Her primary professional contributions include:
- Digital Transformation: Managing the comprehensive redesign of the E4NG website to better showcase the organization’s mission.
- Content Creation: Developing social media and outreach materials to increase global visibility for Galápagos conservation.
- Educational Facilitation: Partnering with local team members to lead classroom activities and field excursions for San Cristóbal students.
Overcoming the Language Barrier
Working in a bilingual environment has provided significant opportunities for growth, says Summer. While the language barrier initially presented challenges in student engagement, she has leveraged her background in Romance languages to accelerate her fluency.
“Over the past two months, I have seen my Spanish comprehension improve drastically,” Summer notes. “Listening and holding basic conversations have become significantly easier—though there is always more to learn.”
Fall Highlights: Experiential Learning
The conclusion of the fall term marked the successful execution of four core educational sessions designed to connect students with their local ecosystem:
- Endemic Species Literacy: Introducing students to storybooks featuring the Lecocarpus de Darwin and the Petrel bird.
- Creative Character Design: Helping students develop original characters based on local marine reserve wildlife.
- Marine Conservation in Practice: Field trips to Playa Mann to discuss the newly established Hermandad Marine Reserve.
- Highland Exploration: A guided visit to a protected Petrel reserve alongside a professional naturalist.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Following a brief mid-winter break in mainland Ecuador, summer is back in San Cristóbal.The final phase of her fellowship will focus on finalizing the E4NG website designs for developer implementation and workshopping the next evolution of student activities.
We look forward to seeing the final results of Summer’s contributions to both the digital and physical landscapes of the Galápagos.
About the Lombard Fellowship: The Richard D. Lombard ’53 Public Service Fellowship will support a graduating senior or first-year Dartmouth alumni — including from the professional schools — looking to undertake a public service project in the U.S. and globally. in the U.S. or abroad. Up to $30,000 is available for 6-month (minimum) to one-year (maximum) projects. Learn more here.
Learn more about Education for Nature-Galápagos here.
The Dickey Center collaborates with the Dartmouth Center for Social Impact in overseeing the Lombard ‘Fellowship program.
