Was there a defining moment during your time at UConn?

My UConn career, and future, was forever changed by an environmental conservation course I took during my freshman year. It was during this course that I realized I could turn my passion for the outdoors into a career, and I decided to devote my life to the protection of scenic areas and the wildlife that inhabit them. The following year, I began studying natural resources and realized I will never work a day in my life.

Describe someone you’ve met here who has already impacted your future.

I am forever in debt to my research and Honors advisors for all they’ve done for me during my career here at UConn. It is truly rare to find someone who is willing to put your best interests ahead of their own; and by some stroke of luck, I found two of them.

What did you pursue with your Summer Undergraduate Research Grant?

My SURF award research focused on the use of new sampling methods to estimate densities of newly metamorphosed amphibians, an area of research that has received little attention, despite massive declines in amphibian populations around the globe.

Where are you headed after graduation?

After graduation, I want to spend some time living out of a van and working a variety of field technician positions. I want to gain additional experience, and network with researchers around the country so I can continue my education at the graduate level. Ultimately, I’d love to work as a wildlife biologist studying alpine sheep and goat species.

What will you miss most about UConn?

Truth be told, I am excited to be leaving UConn. While I will miss the amazing friends and faculty I’ve been able to share the past four years of my life with, I’m eager for new experiences and a change of scenery.