Hometown: Decatur, Georgia
Year: Sophomore
College: Odum School of Ecology, Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Majors: Ecology and music
Internship Unit: State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Have you participated in experiential learning?
I went on the UGA Interdisciplinary Field Program, taking classes in introductory geology, anthropology and ecology while traveling through the western U.S. in the summer.
Have you had any internships?
I was recently an intern with the Upper Oconee Watershed Network, where I worked on the 2018 Upper Oconee Science and Policy Summit that occurred this September. My job was to make the abstract book for the summit, organize the presenters and advertise the event.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
While my career plan could do a complete 180 degree turn, I plan to pursue a track in research by getting a Ph.D. in ecology and focusing on freshwater ecology. I want to work towards being a professor at a research university or being a civil servant in the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Why did you apply for PSO Scholars?
I was not aware of the UGA Public Service and Outreach units, and I want to learn more about UGA’s role in Athens and other Georgia communities. I want the opportunity to work on a project at one of the units that aligns with my ecology or music majors and embeds me in the Athens community outside of my academic bubble at UGA.
What excites you most about your unit?
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia has always been a special place for me on campus, and I love to bird-watch there and explore the flora and fauna of the garden. I am very excited to work on a project that can reach out to communities in Athens that have never been to the State Botanical Garden or do not know about the programs and awesome educational events that happen there.
What do you hope to get out of this experience?
I hope to start a project that can coincide with my research in freshwater ecology, or can direct me towards an interest and love within the environmental sciences that I have never thought about before. I also want to focus on promoting and building educational programs that engage families and students in Athens that are typically under-served.
Why is service and outreach important to you?
As a researcher, I understand that research is meaningless unless it is communicated and new knowledge is used to service public projects, solve real-world problems or inform the public. I would like to see how my research and work with Public Service and Outreach will be used in the Athens community and the Georgia community.
Fun fact:
I would like to mention that I am a huge nerd. I love cartoons produced by Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Netflix, and Disney XD. My favorites (right now) are Voltron: Legendary Defender and Gravity Falls.
Dickinson on the UGA Interdisciplinary Field Program, an eight-week course in introductory geology, anthropology and ecology that travels throughout the western U.S. in the summer semester.
The Public Service & Outreach Student Scholars program provides the opportunity for a select cohort of undergraduate students to explore and engage with the University of Georgia’s public service and outreach (PSO) mission. Supported by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, and administered through the Office of Service-Learning, this year-long program is intended to provide deeper understanding of PSO’s purpose, breadth, and depth through supervised service experiences with PSO and communities, to help students link their public service experiences with their career and educational goals, and to create a community of student scholars who understand the role of public service in Georgia and more broadly.
