Lynn Davis Scholarship Personal Statement – Robbie McCurry
My name is Robbie McCurry. I am a passionate outdoorsman, volunteer, and student. I attend Mountain Heritage High School and live in rural Yancey County, North Carolina. Here, I spend as much time as possible enjoying the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For years, I have worked to preserve the environment around me, ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to experience the natural world that has shaped me into who I am today.
Since the age of five, I have been infatuated with nature and its wonders. As a result of my curiosity for the natural world, I am an avid hunter. Though my leisure time is limited, as I work to maintain an academic ranking of 4th in my graduating class and am very involved in sports, extracurricular activities, and community service, I take any opportunity to hunt, fish, or preserve natural habitats. To extend my impact on the environment, I joined a conservation group in Treutlen County, Georgia. Since 2018, I have helped to manage a 3,400 acre plantation alongside five other conservationists, conducting controlled burns to improve wild turkey nesting habitat, controlling invasive boar populations, and planting plots of land to provide wildlife with supplemental feed. Additionally, I work closely with wildlife biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to monitor endangered gopher tortoise burrows, conduct trail camera surveys of wild populations, and perform field observations of whitetail deer populations.
My beloved community in Yancey County, NC, suffered tragic devastation from Hurricane Helene less than six months ago. For months after the storm, I volunteered by operating heavy equipment to rebuild roadways, conducting wellness checks on stranded citizens, working in supply distribution centers, among other tasks. During this time of suffering, I witnessed neighbors helping neighbors, strangers working with strangers, and the power of a united Blue Ridge community. Because of this experience, I am inspired to promote the legacy of Appalachian culture through continuous volunteerism and community service.
Since the 1700’s, my ancestors have lived in Yancey County, in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. The unique culture of the Blue Ridge region is something that my family and I value dearly. To preserve this way of life, I plan to return home to Yancey County after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in environmental health from East Tennessee State University (ETSU). This degree would empower me to live and work in my home community, where I hope to raise a family of my own, rooted in Blue Ridge culture. At ETSU, I will seek to build relationships with professors and fellow students that will lead to opportunities for conservation and volunteer engagement. By starting a career in environmental health, I will help sustain the natural beauty of Appalachia by executing preservation efforts. Throughout my life, I will be an active volunteer in my community, aiming to improve the quality of life of others while enhancing the distinctive culture of the Blue Ridge region.