Grey Benjamin ‘14 Environmental Policy
Initially interested in a Biology major, Grey Benjamin decided to major in Environmental Studies after spending time in Portland, Oregon with a cousin working in wind energy. He chose to major in Environmental Policy because of his love for working with people and hopes to help the environment through non-profit or law advocacy work. His favorite parts of the department are “the passionate professors that prepare their students for real-life challenges and opportunities” and the internship and career support provided by the ES coordinator. Grey also enjoys attending lectures from visiting researchers and scientists and often takes advantage of the dinners offered with guest lecturers. In the spring of 2013, Grey will be studying sustainability at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) in Copenhagen, Denmark where he hopes to gain insight into international sustainability.

Marianne Ferguson ‘14 Environmental Science
Growing up with a love of the outdoors, Marianne wanted to study what she had been observing her whole life. Her interest in Marine Science led her to the ES Science major where she says, “I have many opportunities for hands on research and can take a diversity of classes.” In 2012, Marianne studied the impacts of shoreline development on three of the Belgrade Lakes as a research assistant for Prof. Russ Cole. Marianne is also a member of the Environmental Coalition, EnviroCo, where she is currently working on building a nature trail for local camp. In the fall of 2012, Marianne will be off-campus as a student in-residence at Bigelow Laboratory during the inaugural year of the Changing Oceans Program, an exclusive Colby- Bigelow partnership that allows students to spend a semester off campus at the lab. Having already taken two JanPlan courses with Bigelow researchers, Marianne is excited to be fully immersed in the Ocean Science program.  

Rumbidzai Gondo ‘14 Environmental Policy
Rumbie was initially interested in Environmental Studies because of a high school Biology course that dealt with climate change. When she was a freshman at Colby and enrolled in Prof. Keith Peterson’s (KP) Philosophy and Environment course, she was compelled to officially declare an Environmental Policy major. Rumbie’s favorite part of the department is the ability to pursue any interest within ES through the resources and enthusiasm students and faculty bring to the program. Rumbie is a member of Colby’s Environmental Coalition and also writes sustainability focused articles for the Colby ECHO. In the summer of 2012, Rumbie interned at the Mandela Institute for Development Studies is Johannesburg, South Africa. While there she conducted research on the influence of African culture on policies that work towards African development.  

Amanda Lavigueur ‘13 Environmental Policy
After taking an Environmental literature course with Prof. MacKenzie her freshman year, Amanda Lavigueur discovered a passion for nature and decided to major in Environmental Policy. Knowing that Europe is very progressive in environmental regulations, Amanda spent a semester studying Atmospheric Pollution at the University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was a summer intern at the Kennebec Land Trust, which taught her the benefits of working for a small environmental non-profit and allowed her to work on an on-going research project. Amanda’s favorite parts of the ES department are the dedicated faculty, the interdisciplinary approach to major requirements, and the opportunities for internship funding, “which allows students to participate in internships they might not otherwise have been able to.” She is also a member of Colby’s Organic Farming and Gardening Alliance (COFGA) and volunteers at Barrels Community Market in downtown Waterville.

Corey Reichler ‘13 Environmental Science
For as long as she can remember, Corey has wanted to explore and understand the natural world. She chose the ES Science major because of her interests in Ecology and conservation. While abroad in Ecuador, Corey studied the conservation initiatives of the indigenous Kichwa people and issues surrounding conservation efforts in Latin America. Also during her time in Ecuador, Corey designed and implemented an independent study project on tree biodiversity in the province of Arajune in the Amazon, which was used to obtain a protected status for the land. Corey also spent a summer in Costa Rica as a research assistant for Prof. Judy Stone’s study on Witheringea solanacea and another summer on campus working on the Belgrade Lakes Project as a research assistant for Prof. Russ Cole, who she works with during the year as an Introduction to Ecology TA. Corey’s favorite part of the Environmental Studies program is its interdisciplinary nature saying, “seeing conservation issues from so many angles has given me a more complete picture of these incredibly complex topics.” 

Noah Teachey ‘13 Environmental Policy
After spending time backpacking as a youth, Noah Teachey felt a connection to nature and a desire to preserve it for others to enjoy. As part of Prof. Russ Cole’s JanPlan class, he traveled to Belize to study the rainforest and other tropical ecology as well as the unique Belizean culture. On campus, Noah runs the Green Graduation and Green Orientation programs and has been a research assistant for Prof. Philip Nyhus for the past two summers. Noah’s favorite part of the ES program is the friendliness and accessibility of the professors as well as the program’s multi-dimensional nature.

Taylor Witkin ‘14 Environmental Science
Awestruck by the beauty of a coral reef, Taylor wanted to learn more about the delicate reef ecosystem and the role humans play in its health. To answer his questions and further his understanding of how the ecological system works, he decided to become an ES Science major. Taylor has worked as an intern on the Flats Ecology and Conservation Team for the Cape Eleuthera institute in the Bahamas and as a NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center Intern in the Life History and Recruitment Group of the Coastal Ecology Branch. On campus, Taylor worked with professor Cathy Collins on a project studying and comparing the productivity of re-growth forests in South Carolina. During JanPlan 2012, Taylor traveled to Belize for an ecological field study led by Prof. Russ Cole and in the fall of 2012 Taylor will be studying abroad on Zanzibar, Tanzania studying coastal ecology and natural resource management. Taylor loves that Maine provides such great access to field opportunities and that the department takes full advantage of those resources. He also says that the main strength of the program is the dedication and enthusiasm of the faculty.