“One thing that I really appreciate about the learning atmosphere in the Biology Department is that most students seek to help each other and collaborate rather than compete with each other.”
Planning to pursue plant science in graduate school, Rachel decided on a major in Biology to gain a strong foundation in general biology classes, while also having opportunities to take courses that specifically pertain to her personal interests. Within the department, Rachel appreciates the collaborative dynamics between classmates, saying “Whether you’re close with them or not, your classmates are usually immediately willing to direct you where to find something in the textbook or explain how they did something on an assignment if you ask”. She has enjoyed the experience in some of her smaller classes of becoming close with her classmates and building community in the classroom. Through the Biology department, Rachel has had the opportunity for learning outside of the classroom through a study abroad program to Bolivia, which focused on climate change. This experience enabled students to put their classroom learning into a broader world context. Looking to her future, Rachel feels that the Biology department has prepared her by helping her to strengthen her skills in scientific writing, communication, research, and data analysis, all of which will be important in her future career. Outside of the department, Rachel is involved on campus with Kaleidoscope A’Cappella.