Amanda McMillan ′08
Politics major with a minor in environmental studies
Hometown:  Herminie, Pennsylvania

Amanda McMillan ’08 is on a crusade for conservation. In just her first two months on the job as the executive assistant to the president of a worldwide Christian environmental protection organization, McMillan travelled from New York City, to Barcelona, and then back to the company’s operation in southern France. The team’s next destination could be within any one of the 18 countries A Rocha serves. But the late nights and red-eye flights won’t break their unyielding commitment to raising awareness of the need for an international environmental movement that recognizes God as Creator.

A Rocha, or “the rock” in Portuguese, is a Christian nature conservation organization promoting stewardship based on Biblical principles. The organization keeps its message simple: First, God made the world and entrusted it to the care of human beings. Second, the way to achieve lasting conservation of God’s natural world is to build positive, sustainable relationships in local communities; and to conduct research by drawing on the insights and skills of people from diverse cultures.

McMillan’s role is to support A Rocha’s efforts in the Vallee’ des Baux region of Southern France by building relationships locally and internationally either through speaking engagements, fundraising events, managing volunteers, overseeing communications, and even assisting scientific teams in the field. “I also join researchers in their study of local agricultural methods,” she says.

“I am so excited about this position and being able to contribute my time and skills towards an organization that reflects the gospel and my vocational calling,” says McMillan, an honors program student who majored in politics and environmental studies at Messiah. “I am passionate about reconciling people with creation and with their Creator.”