Ashley Mickens (Class of 2020)

photo of Ashley Mickens

  • junior Environmental Earth Science major, with a Sustainability co-major
  • minor in French
  • from Dayton, OH
  • member of the Miami University Geological Society
  • studied abroad in Luxembourg (Fall 2018)
"The more effort and interest you put into your classes, the more you'll be rewarded with a good grade or an incredible learning experience. The more time you invest in professional relationships, the more you pave the way for a great career path. The more you choose to immerse yourself in experiences outside the classroom, the more you realize that learning isn't just what you find between the pages of a book."

Why Miami?

"I came to Miami because I wanted the 'trademark' college experience and a place I could call home for the next 4 years. I visited 16 colleges, and none of them made me feel at home like Miami did. I knew that at Miami I could receive a stellar education, and I've been impressed with the incredible array of campus opportunities.

"During my first year at Miami, I wanted to experience everything. I attended MegaFair and signed up for 10 clubs (way too many!), and I went through a blur of introductory classes for my Environmental Earth Science major and every event I could fit into my schedule.

"Somewhere during that year I also joined the Miami University Geological Society (MUGS) and went to the Bahamas for spring break with them. By the time I came back, I realized that Environmental Earth Science was the major I wanted to pursue!"

Best Miami Experiences

Ashley Mickens and another student sampling water from Acton Lake

"Professor of biology Mike Vanni and PhD candidate Tanner Williamson are my research advisors (or mentors), and they have provided me with valuable career advice as well as many opportunities to participate in exciting ecology research.

"Another professor who has supported me is Jonathan Levy, one of the first professors I had when I came to Miami and also the director of the Institute for the Environment and Sustainability. I still stop by his office every once in awhile and have a good chat.

"Bonita Porter, the former director of Miami's LSAMP program for minority students in STEM fields, has also been a great help for me. She introduced me to many on-campus resources, encouraged me to continue with my current major, and was a positive presence in my life while she was here.

"My MUGS spring break trip to the Bahamas was led by assistant professor Carrie Tyler, who as a woman in science has overcome a lot of particular challenges that women pursuing a career in science have to face. She has helped me gain a lot of confidence in my own skills in a variety of scientific fields.

"Environmental Earth Science has a wide variety of career paths to choose from. At the moment, I am planning on pursuing my Master's degree in Environmental Science (MEn) or Resource Management with the goal of working for a government agency like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or an environmental consulting agency."

Miami and the Liberal Arts

Ashley Mickens in Eze, a small town near the border between France and Monaco, with the Mediterranean Sea in the background

"Being a liberal arts major is all about finding balance. During my time at Miami I have taken classes in everything from oceanography to Russian folklore. Taking such a wide variety of classes has broadened my perspective on the world and allowed me to think critically about complex issues.

"Much like my interests, my major allows me to explore the many sides of environmental science. I really enjoy learning about nature and the processes that govern our natural world. The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know, and then the more I want to learn! As climate change is becoming a more pressing issue, I want to learn as much as I can so that I can participate in the process of implementing sustainable change.

"My three favorite classes have been Caribbean Ecology and Economics (ITS 365), Environmental Justice (IES 419) and Ecological Restoration (GEO 460). All three of them introduced me to dimensions of environmental science that I had never heard of before. I learned hands on skills through experiential learning that I can now apply to other aspects of my academic and professional career."

Exploring Europe and Connecting with History

Ashley Mickens at the Gap of Dunloe in Ireland

"Last fall, I had the chance to study abroad in Luxembourg and visited a total of 12 countries. I lived with a host family, including an old Italian gentleman, who every morning would passionately shout 'Take a banana! Take an orange! Work hard at your classes!' in French, the only common language between the two of us. By living with a family I could learn more intimately about current European events and the history that influenced them.

"My classes in Luxembourg were perfectly tailored to our 'study tour' experiences outside the classroom on the weekends. One week our professors took us around Europe to bring the material they were teaching us to life. We went to Brussels, Rotterdam, and Leiden, and it was an incredible. I even created a blog about my adventures in Luxembourg to share some my experiences there.

"Although I didn't take any science classes while abroad, I did learn a lot about European attitudes toward sustainability and the environment. In Europe, the climate change debate isn't about whether or not it exists; it's about what should be done about it. More and more refugees are entering Europe, and among those refugees are climate refugees, or people who have been displaced because of climate change. It was strange to see the political debate framed around implementing policy related to climate change rather than a political debate over its existence!

"Since coming back to Miami, I realized that I'm more confident in myself and my decisions. In Luxembourg I didn't have anyone telling me what to do on a day-to-day basis, or what to do if I found myself in a difficult situation. As a result, I developed my critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. I interacted with a wide variety of people and was able to learn about their lives as well. This experience has made me think about pursuing a career abroad — I definitely want travel to be a part of my life in the future."

Advice to Students

"I'd like to share a quote that my brother shared with me a few months before leaving for college: 'It is better to be consistently good than occasionally great.' His football coach told him that before a game, but he ended up applying it to his life too.

"I have adopted this quote in a way, and I think it is especially useful in college. Sure, you can be great and have your moment, but then what happens afterward? Instead, I have found that being consistently good can provide great results. The more effort and interest you put into your classes, the more you'll be rewarded with a good grade or an incredible learning experience. The more time you invest in professional relationships, the more you pave the way for a great career path. The more you choose to immerse yourself in experiences outside the classroom, the more you realize that learning isn't just what you find between the pages of a book.

"While it might take time to see these results, they are definitely worth it when you realize that the work you've done has finally paid off!"

[March 2019]