Isenberg Students Confront Conservation and Community Challenges on South Africa Service-Learning Trip

Students from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst traveled this summer to South Africa for a service-learning program that paired hands-on conservation work with community engagement, exposing participants to the realities of wildlife protection, rural development, and cross-cultural collaboration.

The 20 students supported anti-poaching initiatives in private wildlife reserves and worked with a nonprofit that addresses poverty’s root causes through food security, education, and job training. The trip, co-advised by Accounting Department Chair and Professor G. Bradley Bennett, PhD, included partnerships with the Zululand Conservation Trust and Nourish EcoVillage.

“Each year, I want the students on the trip to face personal challenges—whether it is traveling internationally for the first time, experiencing a new culture, trying new foods, or working with local communities,” said Bennett. “I wanted these students to bring home a new perspective, an appreciation for things once taken for granted, and a mindset of seeing opportunities in challenges.”

A highlight for Isenberg students was working with the Zululand Conservation Trust team on a rhino dehorning procedure. This is a controversial but increasingly common tactic in private reserves to deter poachers by removing the horn from the rhino, which reduces its black-market value. Bennett said the experience is tightly controlled by conservation professionals and includes data collection and veterinary oversight.

“Once the Zululand team located a rhino by helicopter and tranquilized the animal, students helped take measurements, hair and blood samples, and helped with post-trim work,” said Bennett, noting that horns regrow over time, like fingernails. “It’s an incredible experience to be that close, and, in a way, to help such a large, beautiful wild animal.”

‘Once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity’

Isenberg junior Jayden Bryant, a double major in finance and hospitality and tourism management, said the program’s mix of service, fieldwork, and cultural immersion drew her in.

“It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Bryant, citing safari field days, a visit to the elephant sanctuary, and work with Nourish Ecovillage, a non-profit in South Africa focused on improving communities’ economic stability, education, and food resource security. “We really got a hands-on experience that made me feel like we were actually making a tangible, positive impact.”

Prior to their late-May departure, students raised money for Zululand by tabling on campus and selling rhino-themed shirts, according to Bryant. On the ground, they supported chores at a rhino orphanage, fed calves, and learned about poaching’s ripple effects. The experience Bryant added, reshaped how the group related to one another and the communities they met.

“Even if there is hardship and sadness, there can still be blinding beauty, and I learned how important community and ubuntu is,” she said, referencing the South African ethic of shared humanity.

Nick Bedoya, a senior accounting and sport management major, described the journey as a “rare and meaningful opportunity.”

“I learned the harsh reality of how critically endangered rhinos are,” he said. “Seeing the drastic measures the Zululand Conservation Trust must take to prevent their extinction was eye-opening and deeply sobering.”

He credited Karen Odendaal, managing director of Manyoni Private Game Reserve and chief operating officer of the Zululand Conservation Trust, and her team for their expertise and commitment to the cause.

“Karen and her team were kind, knowledgeable, and passionate,” he said. “I realized how much effort goes into protecting these animals,” said Bedoya. “I developed a strong appreciation for their dedication. It’s not as simple as dehorning a rhino and releasing it. There is a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work that I had never considered.”

Leaders of Impact

Odendaal will receive an Isenberg Leader of Impact Award at an event October 9, 2025, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She shared her appreciation for Isenberg this summer.

“I hope each Isenberg student walked away from their experience in South Africa thinking, ‘You know what? I want to find success in my career, but while I’m doing that, I also want to be able to offer my support and make a difference in the conservation environment,’” she said. “Isenberg students are engaging, full of questions, and hungry to learn. It’s been incredible for me to work with them. These students have been so respectful to my team and cautious when in the field working with rhinos. I’m excited for the differences these students can make.”

Learning to Stay Grounded, Give Back

One of Dean Anne Massey’s priorities for Isenberg is to create global citizens and inclusive leaders.

“This trip keeps students grounded, and they learn the importance of giving back. It strips away that ‘first-world’ mentality,” said William D. Brown, Isenberg’s senior associate dean and the trip’s other advisor.

The program’s blend of service, conservation science, and economic development is designed to push students beyond the classroom.

“They examine a different part of our global economy and gain confidence making connections across cultures,” said Bennett. “That perspective is something they carry forward into their studies, careers, and lives.”

Bryant said that learning about ubuntu before traveling helped her recognize it in practice.

“It was useful to understand the concept first and then see it lived,” she said, noting how it applies to professional life. “The group is only as strong as its weakest link, and infinitely stronger when everyone supports each other.”

Both students urged their fellow students to consider the program.

“I would recommend this trip, because it reinforced my desire to stay involved in service and conservation work throughout my career,” said Bedoya. “It showed me the importance of commitment, collaboration, and perseverance in creating lasting impact.”

• Read about the 2024 Leaders of Impact award recipient, Sarah Bergs, founder and executive director of the Nourish Foundation, in South Africa.