Brooke Taylor, a senior international studies and environmental studies double major from Austin, TX, has been awarded The Steve and Riea Lainoff Crop Trust Fellowship in Honor of Cary Fowler ’71. The fellowship is made possible through the generosity of Steve and Riea Lainoff, parents of Rhodes graduates Brian Lainoff ’11 and Mark Lainoff ’15.
Taylor is interested in global environmental policy and sustainability and will join the External Affairs team of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Bonn, Germany, in August 2024.
The 12-month fellowship provides the opportunity for a recent graduate to develop an understanding of the Crop Trust’s work and the issues associated with agricultural biodiversity conservation. Previous fellows have assisted in planning conferences and events, developing communications materials, and even accompanying deposits to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
“I’m incredibly excited to further my understanding of global environmental issues and contribute to sustainable change through the experience this fellowship provides,” said Taylor. “I’m very grateful for all the amazing experiences Rhodes has given me to travel all around the world. The support and resources this college has provided me have been invaluable and allowed me to pursue my passions both internationally and on campus.”
Taylor has experience working with the Crop Trust, having been a partnerships and communications Intern in the summer of 2023. In the summer of 2022 through Rhodes’ Mertie W. Buckman International Internship Program, she worked for Ideas for Change in Barcelona, Spain, where she researched a variety of consulting projects focusing on sustainability in the fashion industry, renewable energy, and data analysis. She also received the Buckman Scholarship for Study Abroad in Fall 2022 and traveled to Chiang Mai Thailand to learn more about sustainability and environmental issues facing developing nations.
At Rhodes, Taylor is an environmental studies and sustainability working group assistant, and she has been a coordinator for the Rhodes recycling program. In addition, she is vice president of operations for the Culture of Consent student organization and president of the Rhodes chapter of international studies honor society Sigma Iota Rho.
After completing the fellowship at the Global Crop Diversity Trust, Taylor plans to attend graduate school for environmental policy and management.