Alumni testimonial

Alumni story Cleo van der Zee

Cleo van der Zee: Policy Advisor at STINAPA, Bonaire

“During my studies, another piece of the puzzle kept falling into place. Now I work on nature policy in Bonaire, where everything I’ve learned comes together.”

When I started my Bachelor’s in International Development Studies at Wageningen University & Research, I had no idea what I wanted to do after graduating. Today, I work at STINAPA, the organisation responsible for managing, protecting and conserving nature on the Caribbean island of Bonaire. It was during my studies that I gradually discovered where my real interests lay.

From broad interests to nature policy

During my Bachelor’s, we explored social issues from different perspectives. I learned to think critically and ask questions. What is the bigger picture? Who gets to make the decisions? And who actually gets a seat at the table?

At first, I thought I wanted to work on refugee issues. Then I became interested in food-related challenges. It wasn’t until my third year that I discovered how much nature really interested me.

For one of my courses, I wrote an essay about the international ambition to protect thirty per cent of the planet. It made me wonder: who gets to make decisions about land that doesn’t even belong to them? From that moment on, I was fascinated by nature policy.

Bringing together nature, politics and policy

I wanted to explore the political and governance side of development issues in greater depth. That’s why I chose the Master’s in International Development Studies, specialising in Sustainable Development Diplomacy for my thesis.

What immediately appealed to me was the combination of science and practice. In one course, we simulated international negotiations, with everyone representing a different role and position. Sometimes we would spend hours debating the smallest choice of words. I loved it! Every day, I looked forward to going back to university and continuing the negotiations. It gave me so much energy.

We also worked on policy recommendations about technologies that could contribute to a fairer approach to climate change. I discovered how much I enjoyed translating scientific knowledge into policies that people can actually put into practice.

From theory to practice in South Africa

During my exchange in South Africa, my passion for nature grew even stronger. I took a course on international nature policy while experiencing the country’s incredible natural environment for myself. I had always been interested in nature, but being there made that connection much more personal. It wasn’t just something I understood academically anymore – it was something I truly cared about.

After my exchange, I did an internship at the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, working in the International Biodiversity team. For me, it was the perfect internship. Everything came together: international cooperation, biodiversity, politics and policy. Instead of only learning about policymaking, I could see how it actually works in practice.

For my Master’s thesis, I returned to South Africa. There, I researched nature policy and power relations, once again bringing theory and practice together.

Everything comes together in Bonaire

I have now graduated and work at STINAPA in Bonaire. I’m helping to develop a new strategy for the organisation and translate scientific knowledge from biologists into policy.

That’s what I enjoy most about my work: you’re not just writing about nature, you’re actually trying to change something.

The network I built in Wageningen also played an important role in getting me here. At an event organised through my Master’s specialisation, I met the person who later became my internship supervisor. During that internship, I met someone else who helped me take my next step towards Bonaire.

Keep trying new things

One of the most important things I’m taking with me from Wageningen is the ability to think critically. Looking at an issue from different perspectives and making an effort to understand the other side of the story is something I’ll always keep doing.

If I could give my sixteen-year-old self one piece of advice, it would be: just give it a try!

There were only a few places available for both my exchange and my internship, but I decided to go for them anyway. Those experiences ended up giving me so much. I didn’t know exactly where I would end up, but by taking opportunities as they came, I discovered step by step what really suited me.