Current and former students describe how they came to choose Miami, their favorite classes, their research at the Ecology Research Center, and more.
Olivia Wetsch
(Class of 2018)
"I'd always wanted to study biology. When I was younger, I wanted to go to veterinary school, but as I grew older I became more interested in conservation and started looking into research involving environmental science. By the time I came to Miami, I was pretty set on this and began taking classes in biology and chemistry, some of which were pretty tough! I really liked my classes and being around passionate professors — and all of this made me even more sure that biology was the right major for me."
See what Olivia had to say about her cricket frog research at the ERC and other sites in the Midwest.
Malory Owen
(Class of 2018)
"A wider understanding of things beyond your discipline is necessary if you want to have any positive effect on the world. You can't just focus on one part. My majors, Zoology and Environmental Science, are very closely related, but they include aspects that stretch me beyond my comfort zone. I've had to take math and ethics classes, for example, since we cannot rely solely on science to make our ethical decisions. Science is only a tool we use to better inform our ethical decisions."
Read what Malory had to say about her vole research at the ERC and her extracurricular creative arts activities.
Riley Theobald
(Class of 2017)
"Taking liberal arts classes does in fact make students well rounded, just as Miami states in all the booklets you get the first year of college. Taking classes outside my major has allowed me to have amazing experiences and take part in super sweet research studies, opening my eyes to just how much the world offers to those who are willing to take a chance."
Read what Riley had to say about her research at the ERC and her study abroad in Australia.
Ethan Suding
(Class of 2015)
"The professors really make Miami stand out from anything else. Almost every professor that I've had a class with has been interested in helping students. My biology and chemistry professors are always looking to get students in the lab to help with research, no matter what the scale."
Read what Ethan had to say about the liberal arts and his passion for genetics.
Lauren Porter
(Class of 2014)
"Miami has one of the best science programs in Ohio. I liked the distance from my hometown in Dayton, and I could definitely afford it. On top of that, I really enjoyed the campus, I already had friends here, and I felt that Miami was definitely a place where I could see myself doing well."
Read what Lauren had to say about her study abroad in Spain, research at the ERC, and interest in veterinary medicine.
Elizabeth Duskey
(Class of 2014)
"Nearly all my favorite courses at Miami have involved research in some way, even ones outside of math and the natural sciences … It's fun to spend the whole time working on problems that apply to real-world situations … In these classes there's only a thin line between our coursework and actually using math and science to work with real clients."
Read what Elizabeth had to say about her passion for research and plans for graduate school.
Ashley Gordon
(Class of 2015)
"Last year I really enjoyed my ecology and environmental science classes. I got to know the professors and found a lot of value in the discussion format … This past semester, I took a capstone course … This class really helped me understand the importance of communicating scientific information with the public and was very rewarding because I had the opportunity to be a part of making something that will positively impact the local community."
Read what Ashley had to say about her research and extracurricular activities.
