As a recent
graduate of the Environmental Studies Program, I can think of several reasons
to choose Shenandoah University. The most important is opportunity. The
opportunities that I had at Shenandoah are a result of the small size of
the program, the quality faculty, and the community the school is part
of.
After more than
a year, four other students and I completed an incredible research project.
Sure, I'm a little biased but let me tell you what we accomplished. We
learned how to conduct water quality sampling and testing, how to survey
plant communities, how a wetland delineation is carried out, and what it
means to have certain aquatic insects present in a stream. That was
just the beginning.
After doing
the field work, we took it all back to the classroom and started to figure
out its importance. This involved learning plant identification, water
quality standards, environmental laws, and researching what other people
have found out about the same or similar problems.
Next, we analyzed
the data, displayed it on graphs and charts, and tried to figure out what
our findings really meant -- not just to the environment but to people
in the community. As we did all of this work, we were learning how to write
a research report, carry out computer techniques that would take several
separate classes to learn, and what working on a team is really like.
The opportunities
didn't stop there. Three team members (including me) decided to speak
at a city council meeting, a county board of supervisors meeting, and at
the Virginia Academy of Science Conference. We felt so strongly about our
research that we wanted to help create a greater awareness of our findings
throughout the community. Another student and our faculty advisor presented
the facts at a public walk through the site. The city meeting and county
meeting were televised, and two of us were on the radio speaking about
our project.
Opportunities at Shenandoah University aren't limited to the senior research projects. In the Environmental Education course, we taught gifted and talented students (3rd grade through 5th). We showed them how to test the water quality, and we discussed the inter-connectivity of humans, organisms, and the environment. We taught the students in the field and at their school. In the same course, we designed a nature walk through our research site and helped people of the community appreciate the area's special qualities.
My internship at General Electric helped point me in the right career direction. In two years, I have become a confident public speaker, and I'm delighted with the computer skills I have acquired. I have met some incredible people in this community. My beliefs that environmentalism starts with each individual in their community and that one person can make a difference has been strengthened.
In Shenandoah's environmental program, the learning is hands-on. Our Environmental Policy class visited national offices in Washington, D.C., and we discussed environmental compliance measures while we toured a local manufacturing plant. Other courses involved hiking in Shenandoah National Park, a four-day camping trip to study geology, and visits to the Smithsonian Institution's Conservation Research Center, where endangered mammals and birds are bred.
Another highlight is the people in this community. There is a growing awareness of environmental quality in Winchester and Frederick County, and we students worked with many fine people: energetic teachers, dedicated public employees, knowledgeable naturalists, concerned farmers, and motivated citizens. As in most communities, though, there is more work to be done. Many individuals, groups, and agencies here clearly want to make a difference.
As a student in
Shenandoah's Environmental Studies Program, you can become part of this
community's environmental voice. You also have the opportunity to
enjoy what local naturalist and teacher James Smith calls, "the best community
in the world".
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Last updated by VMP on 16 May, 2003
