Jennifer Hernandez
Jennifer Hernandez
she/her
- Learning by Leading role: Waterway Stewardship, Apprentice and Co-coordinator
- Major: Community and Regional Development
I am Jennifer Hernandez , she/her, a 4th year Community & Regional Development major at UC Davis. In addition, I am a waterway steward apprentice and Co-Coordinator within the Arboretum's Learning by Leading program. My interests revolve around restoration, community building, and environmental education, all of which are fundamental to this role.
As a Learning by Leading co-coordinator, I have had the privilege of contributing to the planting of 16,660 plants in the waterway’s new enhancement project, creating and implementing a supporting waterway internship program for UC Davis students, and developing a planting design for my designated section of a weir. These experiences are combined with ongoing efforts to provide the proper landscaping efforts to ensure the Arboretum remains an aesthetically inviting environment that houses various native plants and animals.
I am passionate about providing others with the resources and education that I have had the opportunity to gain from through experiences, and this position has allowed me to share my knowledge with members of the community and other UC Davis students. I value the leadership role that I have gained from being a Learning by Leading member. The internship with the waterway team and I has been more than a work task; it has been an educational experience where I can take initiative and educate others. Seeing the students flourish from week one to now gives me an immense sense of pride and satisfaction that I am making a difference in their lives. The curriculum prep was intentional and shaped to ensure their interests were taken into consideration, along with providing them the chance to plan and restore a new location in the Arboretum. The prep and implementation of the program is something that I highly enjoy and look forward to seeing continue within the Learning by Leading teams.
Skills I gained from this position include public speaking, program development, and adaptability. All very important skills for community development and encouragement. With help from my mentors, I learned the importance of describing in detail the task at hand, to not assume everyone has the same knowledge on the task I have had, and how to calmly adapt to changing plans. In addition, my mentors have given me multiple opportunities to lead workshops and provided me with feedback or support after I led a plant and tool demonstration at a waterway community event. The Arboretum's staff is encouraging and welcoming, which has contributed to my learning and the desire to stay and be a leader as a waterway steward. My future career plans include gaining experience and working in local efforts to combat climate change through climate action, restoration, and policy creation. My major, combined with this position, will be a great stepping stone towards my goal of becoming a local leader who encompasses the values of the community, along with keeping in mind the benefits and need for collaborative climate action.