I went into Rutgers undecided and declared a major in EENR and a minor in Music on a whim at the end of my freshman year, eventually adding an Environmental Geomatics certificate in my sophomore year. I wish I had the same love for EENR back then as I do now, since I could have done more as a freshman, but I still feel proud of what I did during my undergrad despite joining late.
My first experience in EENR was at the Chrysler Herbarium, where I helped digitize the herbarium’s plant collection. At the end of my junior year, I went down to Cape May to do shorebird surveys under Drs. Maslo, Munroe, and Bushek, and later that summer, I volunteered at The Raptor Trust. In my senior year, I sorted through sediment samples, counting invertebrates for Dr. Bushek, and I also won first place for the NJDEP’s 34th Annual Mapping Contest in the Reference Map category. After I graduate, I plan to return to Cape May for field work, later joining Dr. Grabosky to do tree inventories with RUF and NJUCF. I feel fortunate to have an education and such supportive people throughout it.
After this summer, I plan to work for about a decade and eventually return for graduate school. What to do for that time, I’m not exactly sure, but I know I want to be valued as I have been within this department. I not only had great experiences with my professors, but my classmates were incredibly kind and interesting as well, each one unique and intelligent in their own regard. Ecology is a tough field to break into, and I wish everyone the best in their endeavors. Regardless of whether you become a nomad, a researcher, or an environmental consultant, it takes an immense amount of dedication and courage.
May 2022