Creating Change in College: FBYC alum Sarah Robison’s Journey Through Art and Environmental Science

April 10, 2026

By Malika Gizzat, 2026 Bow Seat Alumni Advisor 

The Alumni Spotlight Series is a celebration of Bow Seat’s alumni as they continue to make waves in the world. This series aims to highlight their journeys, showcase their creative and environmental work, and inspire our Bow Seat community with stories of impact and growth. Readers can expect monthly insightful interviews, personal reflections, and updates on how these young changemakers are using art, advocacy, and innovation to shape a more sustainable future.

Can you introduce yourself (your name, environmental interests, connection to Bow Seat, and your general interests)?

I’m Sarah Robison, and I’m studying Molecular Biology at the University of Tampa with a Sustainability minor. My environmental interests include biodiversity preservation, endangered species conservation, biotechnology in plant science, plastic pollution, and conservation biology. I was part of the 2023 FBYC cohort, which was an amazing experience, after competing in the 2020 Ocean Awareness Contest. My interests include molecular biology, environmental sustainability, animal studies, creative arts, and music, including singing.

What projects were you involved in in high school that helped you get into the Council? What projects did you work on during your Council term?

In high school, I founded the CARE Club, which is a global organization for youth to take part in environmental awareness through hands-on and remote activities that further the preservation of our planet, animal welfare, restoration, and environmental sustainability. I also organized an awareness day for plastic pollution and how it affects sea turtles to a detrimental degree in my community at my local aquarium. I also received First Place in the 2020 Hennet A Voice for Animals contest for my short documentary on my efforts to help our ocean. Additionally, I engaged in many other service-oriented projects in my community, highlighting the importance of children’s voices in the creative arts and volunteering at my local zoo in guest engagement for native species awareness via conservation initiative education and biofacts. During my time on the FBYC, I mentored three grantees and worked on the social media team for marine science education. I also contributed multiple blog posts that focused on uniting the sciences and effective communication with environmentalism and the welfare of both animals in the sea and on land.

How did your experience with Bow Seat help you in college? What are some insights you can share about being a Council member? How were you able to improve your professional skills?

Bow Seat empowered me to advocate for youth voices in environmental conversation. The FBYC strengthened my ability to organize, create, and connect with global communities for change. Being a Council member was an outstanding experience that brought me joy in connecting with like-minded youth and working toward a sustainable future that teaches creative leadership in the classroom and outside of it, as well as groundbreaking project development. I enjoyed mentoring individual grantees to help them grow their potential and achieve their goals. The FBYC is a unique experience that allowed me to gain global perspectives and a sense of community that extends beyond geography. Professionally, I developed my communication skills with different audiences, graphic design ability, and knowledge of artistic methodology.

What are you up to now? What are some exciting projects you are working on?

Currently, I’m the president of my student chapter of Beta Beta Beta, a biological honor society. I am also president of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology student chapter. Additionally, I am the pre-vet chair of the pre-health organization at my university and director of membership enrichment in my fraternity, Zeta Tau Alpha. Through these activities, I have been able to attend impactful conferences, organize engaging meetings and student events, and make a positive impact on the student community through involvement. Recently, I concluded my term as a Youth Advisory Council member at The Climate Initiative, where I published several written works joining science and conservation with interconnected health. On the council, I contributed my insights to designing educational material and improving climate science communication, as well as graphic design projects. My term lasted two years from 2024 to 2025, where I was able to utilize and expand what I learned on the FBYC to another environmental education and climate advocacy sphere. Currently, I am working on my own molecular biology and psychological study research as I prepare to graduate this year from the University of Tampa. I also hope to gain another summer internship, as I did in animal husbandry for Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center, and continue working on student initiatives that enrich the student body, ranging from the tutoring program I founded to the service days I organize with youth. Most recently, I returned from leading my chapter at the ASBMB Annual Meeting in Maryland.

What recommendations would you give to the future Council members? To the applicants? To the ones that didn’t get into the Council this year?

I would recommend exploring a multidisciplinary approach to everything you start and support while on the Council. To collaborate with fellow Council members is a blessing to understanding others’ perspectives and to create an inclusive environment that breeds creative thinking. I’d suggest getting involved in writing blogs for Bow Seat in your interest areas and soaking up each new experience while also learning from each success and redirection you may encounter while working to mentor your grantees. When applying, be yourself and stay true to what makes you a unique and driven individual so it’s highlighted to those reviewing the application. Being on the FBYC isn’t simply about your strengths, but also the areas in which you want to grow and the progress you can achieve. To those who didn’t get into the Council this year, reapply next year! Before being a part of the 2023 cohort, I had applied in 2022 and received an email with a rejection. As a second-time applicant, I can say with certainty that a year can mean an incredible amount of growth and improvement in both an application and an individual’s knowledge set. Everyone’s timeline is different, and I believe everything happens for a reason and in its own time. Be open to other possibilities and opportunities in the meantime.

How did your involvement with Bow Seat impact your life and career?

Bow Seat helped me understand the importance of global connections and get me started in mentorship and the impact it has on individuals and their communities. I also strengthened my critical thinking and creative design skills through my time on the Council while making wonderful connections with others! I got to explore my interest areas and share them with others, and also explore new areas and ideas.

If you could return to Bow Seat, what would you like to change or do differently?

I would write more blog pieces and expand my involvement in mentorship. Both are incredibly valuable to personal and professional growth. I would also recommend becoming involved in spreading Bow Seat’s mission more actively with others and accepting as many opportunities as possible, like the special opportunity I was offered to speak at the UN Science Summit in a group submission with my fellow 2023 Council members.

What are your plans/goals for the future?

I am pre-veterinary and will apply to veterinary school this cycle. I aspire to be a conservation veterinarian and incorporate my passion for environmental conservation into my daily life and how I engage with global wildlife.

What advice would you give to young people interested in taking action for environmental issues (or currently working on environmental issues)?

Get involved in any and every way you can! It’s important to not only act but to also use your voice to advocate for those around you and the environment in which you live. Lead by example by adopting sustainable practices and start to live out your goals by sharing experiences that further your knowledge and your ability to share your knowledge with others. Don’t shy away from seizing an opportunity to apply to a council. You may grow in ways you would never expect, as I did by finding my second passion of environmental activism more deeply and meaningfully through Bow Seat while gaining fond memories from what you discover and what may discover you!