Alumni Spotlight: Sage Solomine Raises Funds for Big Cat Conservation
this Alumni Spotlight Series Including interviews with Earth Institute alumni about their career paths, how they became interested in the Earth Institute’s projects, and any suggestions useful to current and future students.
Sage Solomine has always known that she wants to work in conservation and wants to focus on protecting wild cats-especially big cats.
Sage Solomine graduated from MPA in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia University. She currently works as a grant manager for institutional donations at Panthera, the only non-profit organization that focuses on all 40 wild cat species.
After graduating from Columbia University with a Master of Public Administration Environmental Science and Policy (MPA-ESP) She plans to find a job with the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2019. She has been engaged in development there for nearly two years, focusing on raising funds for species conservation. During this period, Sage also volunteered to participate in a donation event held at the Bronx Zoo. She found this experience inspiring and learned that she actually loves fundraising, especially because of the infectious and lovely enthusiasm expressed by donors for animal and wildlife conservation.
In her childhood, Sage always went outside or visited the local wildlife association with her mother to learn about the animals as much as possible.Her childhood interest in big cats was partly inspired by zoologists Lauriemark And read her work on cheetah populations. Therefore, when Sage needed to pursue an undergraduate degree, she chose Cornell University, where Marker was a student. Big professor, And received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a minor in International Studies. At Cornell University, Sage had a conservation science internship with Cheetah and realized that she could do more to protect big cats through policy and leadership work. This is what prompted her to start studying the MPA-ESP plan as the next step.
Compared with similar courses, Columbia University’s MPA-ESP course stands out in Sage mainly because of its speed. As a one-year intensive course, she will earn more money than a typical two-year master’s program and return to the job market faster—and more importantly, back to the field of wildlife protection. In addition, since Sage focuses on science in her undergraduate courses, she is pleased to have the opportunity to expand her skills by learning more about the finance, communications, and policies provided by Colombia’s MPA-ESP program. These transferable skills laid a good foundation for her job application.
Sage said she is grateful for all the knowledge she learned about finance and management in the project.She remembered a course Lucius Riccio This taught her to think critically about how to make the process more transparent and efficient, which is very important in her protection work. Sage still remember Sarah Johnson By dealing with problems from different perspectives (for example, considering solutions from a scientific, economic, and policy perspective), it prompted her to think outside the box and become a better problem solver. Sage found Tjossem to be an excellent mentor Adrian Hill, He helped Sage develop key professional skills and prepare for the job application process.
Sage also learned a lot about international and US government agencies and the value of partnerships in the MPA-ESP project. Courses on how to communicate with these institutions in their language and how to formulate policies are very useful for her protection work.
Sage is currently the grant manager for institutional donations at Panthera, the only non-profit organization that focuses on all 40 wild cat species. Most similar non-profit organizations have only resources that support the protection of the “big cat” species; Sage has also found it exciting to be able to fund the protection of small wild cats. Her role as grant manager involves fundraising, with a focus on government and foundation support. Her position represents the connection between scientists and donors, which means she can approach science without having to work in the field. However, when donors want to see the work they are funding, she sometimes visits the site. For example, she recently visited a wild site in Washington State with donors who funded the protection of the mountain lion, where they saw their contribution to the protection of the mountain lion. They also met with local partners from aboriginal tribes such as the Lower Elwa Klaram tribe. They provided advice on policies and worked with Panthera to increase the connectivity and Genetic vitality. Olympic CougarThese trips give Sage the opportunity to get in touch with science, which she appreciates very much. She also likes to spend some time working in nature, hiking and exploring.
Sage was able to step into Panthera’s door because she received Panthera’s communication-focused internship during the spring semester of the MPA-ESP project. During the internship, she worked on social media, writing blogs and press releases. This internship opened the door for Sage, allowing her to find her first job at the Wildlife Conservation Society, and later let her return to Panthera in a different role. Sage never thought that she would love development and fundraising so much, but the arduous job search process taught her that in addition to the importance of perseverance and not discouraged, it is also beneficial to be open to different types of protective roles. Before the job opportunity, you never know how much you love the job, and for Sage, committing to protecting wild animals—especially wild cats—is the top priority, and there are many ways to contribute. This is why Sage believes that the diverse skills she has developed between her undergraduate work and the MPA-ESP program at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs prepares her to achieve her goals.
In the future, Sage hopes to continue to grow with Panthera and eventually transition to a leadership role, where she can engage more in grants instead of fundraising. At some stage in her career, she was also interested in serving as a director in a non-profit organization. No matter where she ends up and what role she assumes, her first task is always the same: she wants to continue to work hard to protect big cats.
Sage recommends that future MPA-ESP graduates remember to be open to all opportunities. “Creatively think about different ways to achieve your goals and contribute to the things you love,” she said. “You never know how things will develop. Also, be persistent and strive to make meaningful connections with people. Make sure to use the resources available in the MPA-ESP program.”
If you are interested in learning more about the MPA-ESP project, please contact Assistant Director Stephanie Hoyt (sah2239@columbia.edu) Have any questions or arrange a campus tour.
