Dandelion Dilluvio

            Dandelion Dilluvio, 21 years old, loathes to admit being from Queens, NY, and it is a shock to those who do not yet know. She describes herself as a “misplaced country girl,” who goes around, “identifying every tree” and catching, “snakes, frogs, and insects for fun.”

                Unsurprisingly, Dandelion is an Environmental Studies major with a minor in Sociology. She says, “I chose this degree because I adore nature in every sense. I love it’s beauty and the peace I feel when I walk through the forest. I love how everything is connected and balanced and has a purpose. I feel complete in the forest and I am part of it.”

                Horses and wolves hold a special place in Dandelion’s heart. She has been riding horses since the age of two and has been a wrangler, or “cowgirl” at Deep Hollow Ranch since she was ten. She says, “I don’t ‘own’ a horse, but I do ‘have’ one and his name is Stumpy [she did not name him]. He is just a terror for everyone else to ride, except for me for some reason. We became best friends and so everyone else says he’s mine because they certainly can’t deal with his antics.” She also volunteers at the Wolf Conservation Center

                This naturalist loves to teach and plans to spread her knowledge as an outdoor educator and professional naturalist in the Poconos.  At Pace, Dandelion can often be found helping out Prof. James Eyring, the Assistant Director of the Environmental Center. She holds a passion for the arts as well, including nature photography, which she also does during her time at the Environmental Center.

                Dandelion participates in various other forms of the arts, including painting, drawing, and writing. Much of her work has been published in VOX Magazine. In fact, she has been published in every issue since her first year. She has also been published in newsletters, such as Teen Ink and Poetry.com. A writer of a few unpublished novels, she hopes to one day, “break into freelance photography and writing.”

                She also enjoys colonial reenacting, skiing, ocean kayaking, and other water sports. Her pets include a pug named Won-a-nee, which means “little girl with large eyes” and a frog named Sassafras.