Class Year

12

Current Hometown:

Camden, Maine

Job and Employer

Stewardship Project Manager, Coastal Mountains Land Trust

Work:

As the Stewardship Project Manager I create GIS maps of our conserved lands, help monitor and manage the Land Trust’s easements and preserves, and work with volunteers on a variety of stewardship projects including invasive species removal and building trails. I only just begun the job and am really looking forward to learning from the employees, members, and partners of the Land Trust.

Community work & family

I enjoy hiking, rock climbing, paddling, birding, and reading about early naturalists and explorers.

Graduate School

Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

Graduation Year

2015

Degree

Masters in Forest Science

Senior project:

“The Natural History of the Protectorate.” I wrote a baseline survey and management suggestions for a 100-acre property that had been recently donated to the College.

Internship:

Biological Science Technician with Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Another COA student and I designed, conducted and wrote up a baseline survey for Black Island, Maine.

Human ecology in action:

A school of Human Ecology is interdisciplinary. It allows students the freedom to be curious and to explore, whether in the field, classroom, discussions, or in their thinking. Human Ecologists are important because they are in a unique situation, with their interdisciplinary mindset, to design creative and collaborative solutions. Being a Human Ecologist has taught me to respectfully ask questions, really listen and empathize, and then come up with creative solutions which addresses multiple needs. This creative problem solving is important in my personal and professional life.

A COA experience that was particularly significant or memorable:

The most significant aspect of COA for me was the honest and genuine people at the school. I loved the community we created with professors and peers and the adventures we pursued.

Considerations for prospective students:

Students who apply to COA should be self-directed and motivated. What is so unique about COA is the freedom that the school gives its students to design their own curriculum and projects. Students should be able to handle the responsibility that comes with that freedom and use their time wisely.