Kalina Weber

This semester, I had the opportunity to join a 10-day, three credit seminar before my study abroad experience began. The seminar course was titled BIO 312: Marine Ecology of the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa, and it enabled me to travel around southern Spain while fulfilling a degree requirement. I learned about the ecological conditions of the Mediterranean Sea and important environmental issues plaguing the region. I also got to participate in activities like diving, paddle boarding, biking, and hiking, and I met so many new and interesting people from vastly different programs of study than my own. I most enjoyed getting to know Spain a bit better before embarking on my semester abroad in Madrid.

I was surprised how the course material and hands-on lessons were so well integrated and developed. Not only did we learn course content and participate in fun activities, but we also grew our personal strengths and had extremely unique lifetime experiences. Additionally, both professors, Mónica Pérez-Bedmar and Amelia Canovas, were so incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the course content, which truly enriched the program so much.

This experience provided me with further scientific knowledge in ecology that will give me invaluable context in my future studies and career paths. It also challenged my thinking and helped to clarify my career goals and expectations, as well as my passion for the environment!

Without support from Honors, I may not have had the means to apply for and enroll in a course like this. Because of the assistance I received, I was able to, without a doubt, agree to participate in this program and afford its associated costs.

Honors has always encouraged me to seek out new and exciting opportunities and I would like to highlight the program for giving me the confidence and support to engage in experiences like this one.