For the turtles

Growing up in France, Corinne Brion, associate professor of educational administration, always had a distinct love for animals. But, starting at 12 years old, she began to have a keen interest in sea turtles. 

“[They’re an] animal that can thrive on both land and in water,” Brion said, and they offer numerous benefits to the environment around them.

Brion’s in-laws reside in New Ningo Prampram, Ghana, home of the largest sea turtle hatchery in the country. On her trips to visit them, she’s seen the effects of climate change and humans on the turtles’ natural habitat. So, in 2023, she founded Turtle Up, a nonprofit organization to preserve and conserve Ghana’s four species of sea turtles through a community-based approach.

In 2023, Turtle Up earned $2,500 through UD School of Business’ Flyer Pitch Competition. With this extra funding, Brion saw her passion project come to life, and Turtle Up officially began its work. 

With partnerships in Kokrobite, Ghana, Turtle Up is assisting the local community in reimagining the land and sea space they share with the turtles. In Kokrobite, the organization has provided several jobs for citizens, and set up a center for locals to bring in their plastic items to be recycled, rather than end up in the ocean.

Turtle Up’s local volunteers also teach local youth and community members conservation methods. They also are planning eco-trips for 2025, during which groups can travel to Ghana and work with Turtle Up. 

Brion explained that “sea turtles are in peril in part because of pollution that has limited the food sources available.” 

UD students are learning about these issues and how they begin. The turtles are not only struggling because of limited food sources, they are being affected by loss of habitat, rising sea temperatures and other human-caused factors. 

“There's a chance that they won't be around for much longer, and that's because of us, because of things like overfishing and plastic waste in the oceans,” said Dustin Holmes, a biology major.

Holmes is one of several UD students who have volunteered their time with Brion. He started a student-run podcast about the importance of sea turtles to the environment, as well as the advocacy work Turtle Up is doing in Ghana.

“I have to thank Corinne and all of Turtle Up for not only their trust in me to create this podcast but also the opportunity they have given me to jump-start my career,” Holmes said. 

Brion is working with other UD students to design a tracking device for the Olive Ridley species of sea turtles. Students in the Stitt Scholars program helped with fundraising and now, engineering students design and build the tracker as a part of the senior capstone course. 

“[The] tracker measures velocity, location and depth of the turtles, all for less money than what is currently on the market and with more features,” Brion said.

The Turtle Up engineering team members said working on the tracker project has helped improve their technical skills. 

"Our continued efforts into next semester furthering the tracker build process will allow us to see the project to completion making it a rewarding experience," they said. 

In addition to this, marketing students are also working on a project to enhance the marketing strategy of the organization by performing a social media audit and curating posts to draw attention to Turtle Up’s mission. 

“Oftentimes people here in Ohio say to me, ‘Why should I care about these turtles in Ghana?’ and I always say that what you do locally will impact the globe,” Brion said.

She hopes the work of UD students and supporters, and others around the globe can make a difference in increasing the longevity of these beautiful creatures.