Each week, we showcase one of our CAHNRS Ambassadors, a student leadership organization that encourages students to pursue higher education and serves as a liaison between the college and the greater community. This week, we’re featuring Lambert Ngenzi, a senior from Kent, Wash.
What are you studying?
I’m majoring in Environmental Science.
Favorite Show/Movie:
Welcome to Gondwana
Favorite Cougar Tradition:
Both during college and before, I have mostly met my closest friends on the soccer field. After playing the sport since I was a young boy, soccer has become a part of who I am. I bring my soccer shoes with me everywhere I go, and, if there is no where to play soccer, I won’t stay for very long. On the WSU campus, I have been fortunate to find people who share my passion for soccer on the field; people who have become my closest friends. Everything about soccer, from the people to the field to the game, I cherish every little thing.
Favorite CAHNRS Commodity:
Strawberry ice cream is my favorite CAHNRS commodity. For some reason, I have never been a great fan of ice cream before moving to WSU. It happened during a hot summer day of my freshman year after we finished playing soccer. One of friends wanted to get some Ferdinand’s ice cream, which I had never had before then. I ordered strawberry ice cream just as my friend did. It was so good that I had to come back again the next day!
Why be a CAHNRS Coug?
Having grown up in the Republic of Congo, I have been taught from a young age that family is everything. There is not a person there that does not cherish their family. When I chose to move to WSU, I felt a deep gap as I left behind the family that I had lived with for my entire life. Upon arriving in CAHNRS, I found a family to fill that gap. From the first day on, CAHNRS has been extremely welcoming and supporting, even on my toughest days. While travelling across continents was difficult, finding another family within CAHNRS has made the miles worth it.
Best Student Experience:
I have had great internships, research experiences, and classes, but these would not have been possible without the amazing professors and WSU community I have encountered since day one of my freshman year. My time here at WSU as a student has made me a better person and I cannot believe this is already my last year. I could not be more grateful for the experiences and opportunities WSU have provided me.
CAHNRS Taught Me:
Being part of CAHNRS, I have been able to present my research at national and intercontinental conferences, as well as participate in prestigious programs such as the McNair Scholars program, Doris Duke Conservation Program and many others. These experiences have broadened my perspective in my field and allowed me to be competitive and qualified for any type of jobs within my field. Through these experiences, I am ready to take on the world and I owe all that to CAHNRS!