Gourmet cook, professional student, environmentalist, world traveler, chocolate lover, runner — Will Dobbie is a true renaissance man. Born in Lawton, Michigan, Will received his B.A. in economics and political science from Kalamazoo College. Will truly excelled there, becoming Phi Beta Kappa, receiving the award for Top Student in the department and graduating magna cum laude. He then went on to the University of Washington-Seattle to get his master’s in economics. Now, at 25, Will is starting a Ph.D. program in public policy at Harvard this fall.

During his undergraduate years, Will spent nine months in Nairobi, Kenya, researching environmental management with the World Agroforestry Centre. It was here that he saw for the first time the real-life effects of unsafe drinking water — an experience that would ultimately support his decision to apply to the Blue Planet Run years later. Will has emphasized that he has always felt a great sense of frustration that many countries and peoples of this world have both the knowledge and resources to eradicate so many water-related problems, yet we all fail to act as a world community.

Will has subscribed to the Buddhist proverb “If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path,” especially since his time in Kenya, where he visited a place for children orphaned by AIDS that was run by the women in the village. To Will, the chance to make a difference in someone’s life means the opportunity both to share the joy of fellowship and community and also to become a better person.

Being part of the Blue Planet Run (BPR) made Will excited in many, many ways. One was more internationally focused: interacting with different cultures and relearning the importance of perspective and humility through those interactions. The other was U.S.-based: sharing his excitement about the issues addressed by the BPR with people along our route. Plus, Will gets to do one of his favorite things — running! Will has been running for about 13 years (since sixth grade) and volunteers at a lot of running events, such as Girls on the Run and youth track and cross-country meets.

Will spends his weekdays working, teaching and learning. On the weekends, Will likes to get out of Seattle and into the mountains for his long run or to travel for a race. Will and his friends also throw "gourmet" dinner parties where they attempt to impress each other with their cooking prowess.

Since he has been on the Run, Will has enjoyed listening to the sounds of teammate Richard Johnson’s musical group and filling in for any one of his teammates who finds himself or herself injured, sick or otherwise indisposed. Will is a trouper and shows real dedication to the cause in his tenacity and flexibility. He is also quite gregarious, spreading the message to everyone he meets along his runs. Water is life!