With the help of her advisors Madison Montellano realized the path to finding her purpose doesn’t need to be linear.
Montellano first focused on biology but then the science of climate change led her to switch paths. On Saturday, Montellano will graduate with a major in earth and environmental science and a minor in political science.
“I always had the passion for these two fields, but didn't know I could combine them until I had the opportunity to at UNLV.”
Her advisors at the College of Sciences helped Montellano find her true direction. “I feel like many students entering college assume that there is one path to stick to, including myself, and if you deviate from this path that you’re failing,” she says. “They were the ones who helped assure me I was on the right path and without them I think I would've felt a lot more lost.”
With the help of UNLV's Office of International Programs, Montellano studied in Gold Coast, Australia, building connections between environmental and political science. She started to see how addressing climate issues required a global solution.
"I understood that the issues I want to tackle in my career are not limited to one state, or one country," Montellano reflects on her trip abroad. “I also like to emphasize the importance of the guidance and education received from each of these community's local experts. The ultimate goal is not just to help, but to learn traditional sustainable practices — along with their cultural significance — that can be implemented around the world.”
Montellano plans to take a gap year as a volunteer abroad before starting her master’s degree. “I will be backpacking and exploring different parts of Southeast Asia, and then I hope to make my way to a few parts of Europe, learning and immersing myself in different cultural experiences and trying to give back to any place I visit!"
Her time at UNLV laid the groundwork for navigating complex processes, thanks to assistance from the International Studies program. Their guidance helped her with that first study abroad trip to Australia, inspiring a lifelong love of travel and learning to make a difference across the world.
“This is why UNLV made me an explorer. I would love to study and work in multiple places around the world, to learn how to implement and expand different sustainable development techniques, conservation practices, and climate solutions.”
