Short Summary
Hello! My name is Nancy (Qwynne) Lackey, and I am a graduate student at the University of Nebraska working on my Masters in Natural Resource Science with a specialization in Human Dimensions. I am currently campaigning for my research trip this summer to study ecotourism guide training in Southern Africa. During this trip, I will be able to collect the data necessary to complete my Masters degree. Moreover, this research trip will allow me to make a valuable contribution to natural resource conservation and community development initiatives, both of which I am extremely passionate about.
What We Need & What You Get
As a contributor you make will help fund the necessary medical and room and board requirements, such as vaccinations and program fees, to stay in the remote guide training camps. In total, those expenses add up to around $3,465 (USD), which is a difficult amount of money for a graduate student to come up with.
If I am fortunate enough to raise more than my $2,000 goal, the extra money will still be used to fund a larger portion of my program and medical fees. So, please do not be afraid to help me exceed my fundraising goal!
A small portion of your contribution (15% or less) will go towards perks for contributors. These perks will include hand written thank you letters, postcards from South Africa, photos from my trip (I am expecting to see a wide variety of African wildlife during my stay in the camps), real Belgium chocolate, and other surprise perks. This will be my way of thanking you for helping me complete a research project that is meaningful. It is also a way for me to share my experiences with you so that you so that you will hopefully be able to understand why I am so passionate about what I have chosen to do with my studies and my career.
The Impact
This research trip will have a positive impact on ecotourism research and development as well as on myself as an individual. Ever since I was a child watching National Geographic documentaries in my high chair, I have been in love with wildlife and conservation. I have always known that I would spend my life pursuing a career in that field. Upon graduation, I earned a Bachelors degree in biology from Saginaw Valley State University. While doing so, I was fortunate enough to complete an internship and perform my Honors thesis research at a great white shark ecotourism operation in Gansbaai, South Africa, and I quickly became fascinated with ecotourism.
Ecotourism is a environmentally and culturally responsible sub-sector of the tourism industry which strives to contribute to conservation and community development initiatives. Though my research and my first-hand experiences, I have learned that ecotourism has incredible potential to transform the attitudes and behaviors of ecotourists, conservation projects, and communities for the better.
However, there is significant room for ecotourism improvement and development worldwide. Previous research suggests that ecotour guides play an important role within ecotourism operations, but little research has been done on how a guide's training influences this role.
I have developed a research project that will increase our understanding of ecotour guide training. My chosen research site is an established guide training program based in South Africa, and I will travel there this summer to collect my data. Through interviews, surveys, and observations of both trainers and trainees, I will develop a deeper understanding of how training impacts guides' abilities.
This research will be beneficial on many levels. First, it will make a valuable contribution to ecotourism literature in an area that is poorly populated. Second, the conclusions I draw can be used to improve existing and develop new guide training programs abroad and in the United States. In many areas in the US, Ecotourism has great potential yet is faced with many barriers. My research will be used to begin the conversation about helping ecotourism operations overcome some of those barriers through guide training. I am already pursuing opportunities to use my research in this fashion in the Nebraska. Third, this research will help me professionally and personally, allowing me to earn a Masters degree, gain experience that will make me a competitive candidate for PhD and career opportunities, and make a positive contribution to my lifelong passion.
Risks & Challenges
At this point, my main risk and challenge is funding. I have already arranged travel and stay with the guide training organization that has graciously agreed to work with me, and my research proposal has already been approved by my Masters thesis committee. However, for past research trips (including my previous one in South Africa) I have always overcome the funding obstacle through scholarships, grants, personal savings, and if need be, student loans. Hopefully, with your help, I will not have to depend on savings and loans.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you do not have the means to contribute to my campaign financially, that's okay! You can still help me by sharing the link to my campaign with your friends, family, and coworkers, through email, Facebook, etc. This will also help me spread the word about ecotourism, guide training, and the positive impacts research such as mine can have.
