Glacier grad heads to Kyrgyzstan

Kaitlyn Anderson, a 2015 Glacier High School graduate and University of Montana sophomore, will spend the upcoming academic year in Kyrgyzstan.

Anderson, who is majoring in resource conservation and minoring in wildlife biology, will spend a semester interning at a conservation organization that works to end illegal wildlife trade in Kyrgyzstan.

Anderson said she became interested in the use and trade of world resources after reading “The Tiger” by John Vaillant as part of the university’s First-Year Reading Experience.

“After hours of research, I realized this practice not only threatens wildlife but also human beings,” Anderson said. “Many terrorist groups use wildlife trafficking to fund their activities and bribe supporters.”

Additionally, she will further her Russian language skills and learn about the culture and history of the country and Central Asia.

The travel study program also offers students an opportunity to visit Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on a two-week tour.

When she returns from Kyrgyzstan, she will use her experiences to collaborate with other students to create a service project focused on resource use and sustainability.

Funding her studies abroad in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan is a $20,000 Boren Scholarship. Boren Scholarships provide undergraduates the opportunity to “study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad,” representing people interested in working in federal national security according to www.borenawards.org.

Following graduation, Anderson plans to work for the International Affairs Department of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fulfill the scholarship requirement for recipients to commit at least a year of working in federal government.

Anderson also will receive a scholarship from the university’s Franke Global Leadership Initiative to help with flight and homestay expenses.

Anderson is the daughter of Sheri and Chuck Anderson of Kalispell.