Get to Know Us Better!

Faculty Spotlights

• Dr. Robin Van Meter    

Alumni Spotlights

• Julia Portmann 

• Eric Waciega 

Year and Major: 2013 B.A. Environmental Studies Minor Biology

Current Employer: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Job Description: "As a Park Ranger I am responsible for directly providing services to visitors, maintaining and protecting natural and cultural resources, equipment, campground and day use areas, and grounds and facilities."

Favorite thing about WAC: "The Center for Environment and Society is an amazing organization within WAC that provides students very valuable learning opportunities outside of lecture and lab. "

Advice for current WAC students: "Try new things and go outside your comfort zone. Take an internship, study abroad, volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary, and never stop learning."

• Kevin Costello

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Year graduated from WAC & Major/Minor: 2001 – Environmental Studies

Education beyond WAC: MS Environmental Management from UMGC in 2013

Student Spotlights

• Emma Cease (Class of 2022) 

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• Shannon Thomas (Class of 2021) 

Hometown: Pottstown, PA

Thesis: “The Interaction of Reduced pH Levels and Increased Resource Competition, Simulated by Population Density, Causes a Reduction in Juvenile Wood Frog Growth”

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: “I have been working with Dr. Van Meter for 2 years, assisting her with research that focuses on amphibians. It has been exciting to grow so passionate about this topic and be able to dive into my own research!”

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: “Having an experimental thesis, I have had to come to terms with the fact that experiments do not always yield the results you expect or the results you want, but it doesn’t make your research any less important!”

Plans for After Graduation: “I am excited to apply the knowledge and experience WAC has given me to a new job or internship.”

Favorite Course Taken: “Watershed Biogeochemistry, as an environmental science major and chem minor, it was a blend of all the stuff I think is really cool! (and shoutout to Chesapeake Semester, of course)”

Fun Fact About Yourself: “I have my boater’s license and I can waterski, I love being on the water!”

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: “Get organized early. Starting in junior and senior seminar you will come across resources or have ideas that you want to keep track of, so make sure you have a folder to keep all your thesis materials together and organized!”

• Chase Lentz (Class of 2021) 

Hometown: Severna Park, MD

Thesis: “Urbanization's Destructive Impacts on the Severn River Versus the James River”

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: “I enjoy learning more about the river I've grown up on (the Severn River) along with the ability to learn more about the James River, a river I've never really knew too much about before my thesis. I also rope in native biotic organisms into my thesis, which is cool because I enjoy learning more about animals and plants that I commonly experience.”

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: “I'm not the kind of guy to be able to sit and write for too long, so I've found myself neglecting my thesis too often. I've been making progress but less than I'd like.”

Plans for After Graduation: “As of now, I plan on working for the Safe Harbort marina company to enforce environmental guidelines within marinas under their control in the region. I have to graduate first though.”

Favorite Course Taken: “Applied Ecology. I really enjoyed the outside labs and interacting with different components of nature, especially organisms such as salamanders, clams, and frogs (who weren't part of the lab plan but were the focus of my time anyway).”

Fun Fact About Yourself: “I used to have a squirrel that was named Princess Diana. After raising her for a while from a two-week-old, I gave her to a professional to be released into the wild.”

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: “Try to stay on top of it, once the last semester hits and the aversion to work combines with the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, it is easy to find yourself falling behind.”

• Olivia Butler (Class of 2021) 

Hometown: Sykesville, MD

Thesis: "Climate Change Fueled Migration of Mangroves: An Encroachment on Salt Marshes"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Being able to incorporate knowledge and experiences from a previous summer internship."

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Finding time to dedicate to it around other coursework."

Plans for After Graduation: "I am applying to seasonal jobs around the country, but may look into Chesapeake Conservation Corps."

Favorite Course Taken: "Chesapeake Semester (especially the Belize and Guatemala trip!)"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I got to help band Ospreys last summer!"

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: "Use a program like Zotero to help keep your resources organized."

• Doug Kurtz (Class of 2021) 

Hometown: Lancaster, PA

Thesis: "The Effect of Common Agricultural Pesticides on Delmarva Ambystomatid Corticosterone Response (probably going to find a way to shorten the name LOL)"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Learning new laboratory techniques & working closely with Dr. Van Meter on research that has real-world implications!"

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Juggling the logistics of doing an experiment during a pandemic (safety is always the priority!)."

Plans for After Graduation: "Hopefully gain some work experience in a research facility. I would ultimately like to go to graduate school, but the pandemic has allowed me to practice patience"

Favorite Course Taken: "Field Methods with Dr. Fox. You gain practical research experience and get to express creativity in designing research studies!"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "Bananas are my favorite food!"

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: "Find a time every week to do an internal check in, even if it’s just to review what you still need to do. If you’re on campus, block off a time during the day in your schedule and go sit in an empty classroom like you’re taking a class."

• Samina Soin-Voshell (Class of 2021) 

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Hometown: Annapolis, MD

Thesis: "The potential for C. maenas (European green crab) invasion in the Chesapeake Bay"

Most exciting part: "Getting to take an interdisciplinary approach to my topic since as a double major I am combining both biological and environmental issues into it"

Most difficult part: "Having writing deadlines that occur sequentially since I usually approach writing in a non-linear order"

Plans after graduation: "I’m taking a gap year to work, hopefully with Chesapeake Conservation Corps, for a year and applying to grad programs for coastal/marine ecology this fall"

Favorite course: "Honestly the entirety of Chesapeake Semester! (I know everyone who’s done it says that, but it’s really true)"

Fun fact: "I’m a third-generation WAC student, both my mom and my gramma have their masters degrees from Washington College"

Advice for students: "Use winter break of your senior year to your advantage, if you write even just a few sentences or a paragraph every day, you’ll have a really solid rough draft by the time the semester starts!"

• Will Reid (Class of 2021) 

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Hometown: Mount Laurel, NJ

Thesis: "Direct Anthropogenic Actions and Their Effects on Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor)"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Getting to study my absolute favorite animal! I also really love those lightbulb moments where I think of a connection or new idea to research. I know I’ve sent Dr. Bible, my advisor, plenty of emails being like “Can we meet up to discuss X? Also what do you think about Y or Z?”'

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Doing it all virtual has made it a little bit more draining than I would have liked. I really wanted to be able to sit in the library on campus and just start typing, but instead I’ve been sitting at a desk in my living room. It’s been tough, but I’m super excited to be back on campus, and I’m gonna try to get into a groove with it."

Plans for After Graduation: "My other major is Theatre, and I really want to try to find work as an actor first and foremost. However, I plan to use the ENV degree to help provide some stability in my life. I interned at the Philadelphia Zoo two summers ago, and I plan to try and apply for a job in the education department there. I love working with animals, and I’d be in the city! You know “Don’t Stop Believin’”? Yeah, I’m that city boy. I’d also love to, if ever given the platform, advocate for environmental needs. You know Leonardo Dicaprio? Like he’s both an actor and environmentalist, and he’s honestly just a role model for me."

• Emma Dodsworth (Class of 2021) 

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Hometown: Port Republic, MD

Thesis: "Hatchery Oyster Production in the Chesapeake Bay and the Impact of Climate Change on Key Water Quality Parameters"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Getting to work with data from the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery where I spent the summer as an intern"

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Making sure I can support my hypothesis concisely within the page limit."

Plans for After Graduation: "I have applied to graduate school at William & Mary's School of Marine Science at VIMS for a degree in Fisheries Science."

Favorite Course Taken: "Chesapeake Semester"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I have my black belt in tae kwon do."

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: "Find something that you are truly passionate about and let that guide your research!"

• Willie Cosner (Class of 2021) 

Hometown: Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Thesis: "A Discussion of the Ecological Impacts of Trout Stocking and a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Stocking Trout in Pennsylvania’s Class A and B Wild Trout Streams"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Learning and incorporating GIS"

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Blending environmental science and economics together"

Plans for After Graduation: "Find an internship or job restoring fish populations or monitoring streams"

Favorite Course Taken: "All of the Chesapeake Semester courses"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I drove across the country this summer in four days"

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: "Make an annotated bibliography for your sources and stay ahead of deadlines" 

• Devin Valcich (Class of 2020) 

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 Hometown: Annapolis, MD

Thesis: "The Invasion of the Northern Snakehead, Channa argus, in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Impacts and Potential Management Solutions"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Developing my own recipe for a “Chesapeake inspired” fish & chips meal featuring the Northern Snakehead."

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience:" Being on a different timeline than everybody else because I graduated in the fall rather than the spring and started my thesis while studying abroad in Ireland."

Plans for After Graduation: "I hope to be involved in environmental education and communication but honestly I would be happy doing field work or lab work too - as long as I get to stay in the Chesapeake region."

Favorite Course Taken: "All of the Chesapeake Semester courses! Especially the comparative study in Belize and Guatemala."

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I was able to study abroad in Ireland, Bermuda, Belize, and Guatemala during my two and a half years at WAC."

Advice for Students When Completing Their Thesis: "DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!! The deadlines are all fairly easy to meet as long as you aren’t trying to write 5 pages 12 hours before the deadline."