By: Jade AbuBakr
It is time for Scripps to find where the wild things are.
The World Wildlife Fund came in full force at Hampton University for the spring
semester Town Hall, located in Scripps Howard School of Journalism and
Communications, as part of the school and non-profit’s efforts to encourage HBCU
students to pursue careers in environmental conservation.
“We need people to tell these stories,” said Charles Sumpter, senior director of People
and Culture.
Journalism and communications students arrived just before noon on Wednesday to
learn more about the non-profit, its mission, and hear who would be the first recipient of
the $10,000 WWF Environmental Journalism Scholarship.
Dean Julia Wilson of Scripps Howard welcomed 60 students in attendance and
extended her gratitude to the World Wildlife Fund before introducing Gayle Brown and
Hayley Lawton, both alumnae of Hampton University.
“I am always delighted by the opportunity to deepen community connections and
introduce and engaged with friends, including our fellow Pirates here at our Home by
the Sea,” said Brown, who serves as the events director for WWF.
Before announcing the winner of the scholarship, Brown and Lawton said the World
Wildlife Fund has maintained its mission for almost 65 years to preserve the Earth. In
2025, the organization actively works to ensure that all communities from around the
world are aware and included in the effort to save the Earth for upcoming generations.
"At WWF, our differences make a difference,” said Brown.
Students began a drumroll as Brown and Lawton announced the scholarship winner,
Honeyrose Smith, who is a second-year journalism student.
Smith accepted the award and suggested how she would continue to spread awareness
about the world and humanity’s responsibility to protect and preserve nature.
“There is a dying world, and a hurting people,” said Smith, “and healing can only occur
when harmony is found between this land and those that inhabit it.”
The town hall continued with more information about the World Wildlife Fund and future
paid internship opportunities. Jessica Leung, the director of people and culture, stressed
the importance of the student voice and the “various superpowers” each student has.
For those students that have things that they enjoy, WWF hopes that those students
can make careers out of it.
Dean Wilson encouraged students to continue to speak with members of the WWF
![WWF Team with scholarship recipient, Honeyrose Smith '27[Credit: Jade AbuBakr]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/dd257f_0a005ef0fc03452ba38ada0b4df9e6d3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_605,h_453,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/dd257f_0a005ef0fc03452ba38ada0b4df9e6d3~mv2.jpg)
team to network and make those important connections.
An opportunity which will be open for applications soon is the BRIDGE internship, which
focuses on diversity and career readiness.
With regards to the World Wildlife Fund, the WWF team expressed their excitement to
continue to grow this partnership among WWF, Scripps Howard, and Hampton
University.
Comments