I am extremely grateful for this scholarship; it has allowed me to be even more active in the community by volunteering and participating in research projects here on campus. I’ve been volunteering at the Humboldt Wildlife Care Center on and off for 6 years; this semester I was able to pick-up even more hours.  Also, I joined the Invertebrate Zoology Research Team and Marine Mammal Education Research Program. 

I go on weekly walks down the beaches looking for animal specimens - specifically sea lions, seals, and whale carcasses. With these findings, we take samples and record what is going on in our oceans. Being involved in these programs has given me valuable experience for my resume.

My next plans are pursuing a Master’s and PhD, either here at HSU, or somewhere on the West Coast so I can further my education centered on Marine Mammal Research and their interactions with the invertebrates in our ocean ecosystems.

Feeling a lot of pressure on my shoulders to succeed, I am trying to make myself competitive by building my resume. Receiving this scholarship has made that possible!

I’m also especially grateful to HSU for providing such encouraging professors, they have really impacted my life. Thank you to my professors for pushing me to move forward with my education and thanks to the donors of the Virginia H. Poole Memorial Scholarship for believing in my academic future.