Waynesburg University junior Environmental Science and Biology (BA) double major Tyler (Garret) Kunz was recently awarded the competitive 2025 Au Sable Calvin B. DeWitt Leadership Fellowship. The prestigious fellowship is awarded to one student each year by the Au Sable Institute, a global community dedicated to inspiring and educating people to serve, protect and restore God's creation.
“I am truly blessed and honored to have been chosen for this fellowship,” said Kunz. “I understand that this is a very prestigious and competitive award and being chosen for it has continued to cement in my mind that I am on the path God has for me in my academics and in my future career.”
Kunz completed his formal application for the fellowship during the spring 2025 semester and was nominated by Dr. Christian Hayes, assistant professor of Biology, director of Marine Science and Au Sable Institute Faculty Representative at Waynesburg University.
“I have known many outstanding students over the years, but Garret stands out, not only because of his proven academic record and skills as a scientist, but because of his obvious and infectious love for God’s Creation and his humble leadership that seeks the betterment of all creatures,” shared Dr. Hayes. “As the Au Sable Institute college representative at Waynesburg University, it was my joy to nominate Garret for the Cal DeWitt Fellowship for summer 2025, as I truly believe Garret is a humble environmental leader that reflects the mission of Au Sable to inspire and educate people to serve, protect, and restore God’s earth in his life and character. I cannot think of a more deserving recipient.”
One of the things that I’m most looking forward to during this experience would be the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded people who view the environment from a biblical perspective in that we are to be stewards of the earth and to take care of the natural beauty God has given us."
Kunz shared he felt blessed to be nominated let alone chosen for the fellowship, since only one student is eligible to be nominated per college or university. When he received the notification of his selection while sitting in the Center for Campus Ministry room in Stover Campus Center, he said he “felt a wave of thankfulness” wash over him.
“Being chosen for this fellowship continues to reassure me that Au Sable is the place that I am meant to be this summer,” he said.
During his fellowship, Kunz will complete 16 field-based credits at the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies in northern Michigan. He will also receive a wetland delineation certificate through completion of one of the courses.
“Because of Au Sable’s unique approach to learning through field-based experiences, I’ll be getting real-world practical experience that I can use in my future career,” he explained.
The coursework in the environmental science and biology programs at Waynesburg University coupled with the field-based experiences of Au Sable Institute will open the doors to a variety of career prospects for Kunz as he works to pinpoint where he wants to land after graduation.
“While I haven’t exactly narrowed down my future career plans to a tee, I know that I want to either work in agriculture with farmers looking at soil nutrition and health of farm land, environmental consulting, or work for organizations like the Natural Resource Conservation service or the USDA to work on different environmental issues we’re facing throughout the United States,” he said.
In addition to Au Sable Institute’s course content and practical application of such, its Christian-focused mission and approach to environmental education and preservation closely mirrors Kunz’s own values.
“One of the things that I’m most looking forward to during this experience would be the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded people who view the environment from a biblical perspective in that we are to be stewards of the earth and to take care of the natural beauty God has given us,” he said.
And his faith and devotion to service has and will continue to guide him well beyond the classroom and his time at Waynesburg University.
“Since starting at WU, Garret has been an active leader in helping organize community work days to care for the local environmental education trail here on campus. Garret’s care for his community extends beyond the physical environment around him and to his entire community,” explained Dr. Hayes. “I regularly see Garret leading discipleship groups across campus, engaging other students in thoughtful conversation about faith. Garret shared his testimony in chapel last semester, and I was struck by the strength of his conviction and his dependence on God, who has led him through the valleys to a place of care for everyone around him.”
Department of Biology, Environmental Science and Health Science
Learn more about Waynesburg University's Department of Biology, Environmental Science and Health Science at the link below.
