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Erikka Ededuwa

Erikka Ededuwa

2024 Gilman Scholarship Recipient

Hometown

Fishers, IN

Major

Aquatic Sciences; Wildlife

College

College of Agriculture

 

Erikka Ededuwa was awarded the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in Kenya on the School for Field Studies-Kenya program. Her wildlife major prepared her well for this new experience where she will study elephant behavior. Kenya’s diverse ecosystems and unique relationship between people and wildlife provide the perfect spot to enhance her studies in biodiversity, real world studies, and awareness of politics surrounding conservation efforts. These experiences at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro will prepare her for her future as a conservationist and wildlife conservation advocate who will work towards creating solutions for human-wildlife issues.

 

Wildlife isn’t the only thing that draws Erikka to Kenya. She is committed to interacting with the local Maasai communities and learning Swahili with the goal of reducing communication barriers that could hinder conservation efforts.

 

Erikka’s follow-on project will be a presentation on the elephants of the African Savanna. In this presentation, she plans to promote the program and Gilman while highlighting the very real challenges conservation efforts face related to wildlife in Kenya.