Summer Bridge Spotlight: Madeline Belland
Meet Madeline Belland, one of six participants selected for the 2026 Summer Bridge program. A Ph.D. student in the English department at U of I, she worked with the Grand Prairie Friends.
How have you applied your humanistic training to advance the mission of the community organization?
I have been able to apply my humanistic training in many ways throughout the summer. First, I believe my training in English and environmental literature specifically has allowed me to constantly question how people represent their position in the world, and my writing over the summer allowed me to help represent the experiences of Grand Prairie Friends to an expanded audience. Second, my research process closely mirrors how I can complete my projects for Grand Prairie Friends. I often try something, and sometimes it works, but more often than not, there are things I need to fix, and I have learned that being able to critically think about the best next steps forward has been vital to delivering the best project I can. Overall, the Summer Bridge program has shown me that getting into the community only expands my humanistic training, rather than hindering it.
How has this experience contributed to your career development? What skills have you gained or developed?
This experience has contributed to my career development because I have been able to see the on-the-ground work that sustainability and climate preservation take. It has shown me an expanded definition of expertise, allowing for collaboration. I have really developed the skill of being able to jump in on a project even if it is a little bit outside of my expertise. I learned to start taking steps forward in my project, even if I was scared. This also helped me develop the skill of asking questions that led me in the right direction.
What have you learned from working with this community organization?
I have learned that there is so much out there that I don’t know, but that others do, and that putting research into practice can look very different depending on the needs of the organization. Specifically, for Grand Prairie Friends, I have learned the importance of integrating the mission into daily tasks. Every staff, board member, and volunteer exhibits an intense appreciation for Illinois’ natural landscape, and to watch that motivate their work was inspiring and uplifting. Even when they ran into difficulties, drawing the work back to the land always renewed our focus and allowed us to dream big.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your Summer Bridge program experience?
I would really encourage students to get out into their community! I have found that not only was I able to learn and grow, but that our community partners are so appreciative to have people that they trust to work hard, believe in their mission, and contribute to their organization. I know that the connections I fostered this summer will be ones that I can always return to. The Summer Bridge program highlights the ways that the University of Illinois can foster connections that are built on mutual benefit and trust, caring for both its students and their community partners.