{"id":89788,"date":"2024-12-02T04:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T08:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/?p=89788"},"modified":"2025-02-18T16:42:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T20:42:54","slug":"environmental-science-senior-drawn-to-utoledo-for-student-engagement-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/12_02_2024\/environmental-science-senior-drawn-to-utoledo-for-student-engagement-opportunities","title":{"rendered":"Environmental Sciences Senior Drawn to UToledo for Student Engagement Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a child growing up along the banks of the Maumee River, Madeline Shumaker fell in love with the unique ecosystem found in the local waterways.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been fascinated by our planet, the interactions between organisms and Earth\u2019s systems, and as a kid, I spent countless hours swimming, boating and enjoying the water of the Maumee River,\u201d Shumaker said. \u201cAs I got older, I realized how essential it is to protect our waterways. Completing three years of science fair projects in high school confirmed my interest in research, and I knew that pursuing a degree in environmental science was the right path for me. My love for wildlife made a minor in environmental biology a natural choice as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Graduation

CELEBRATING SUCCESS: UToledo recognizes the Class of 2024 with a series of stories featuring students receiving their degrees at fall commencement<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Graduating Dec. 14 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in environmental science, Shumaker said one of the biggest draws for her to attend UToledo was the numerous student engagement opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that a school too big or too small wouldn\u2019t offer the same opportunities for engagement that I\u2019ve experienced here,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Lake Erie Center also played a significant role in my decision, as I\u2019ve always been drawn to the Great Lakes and knew I wanted to work on the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe University has also helped me secure three summer internships both international and local, which have been integral to my growth,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Shumaker also was able to travel around the world with the support of UToledo.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite experiences in undergrad were the international opportunities I\u2019ve had,\u201d Shumaker said. \u201cMy greatest challenges and successes stem from the same experience: studying abroad. It was the most incredible year of my life, but it also pushed me far outside my comfort zone. The first few months were particularly challenging as I adjusted to living in a new country and dealt with moments of homesickness. Through this experience, I gained a sense of independence and grew more confident in myself. Reflecting on it now, I can clearly see that my junior year abroad was a pivotal time in my life, marked by tremendous personal growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Outside

Graduating Dec. 14 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, Madeline Shumaker had three summer internships \u2014 international and local \u2014 which were integral to her growth personally and academically.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Bill Hintz, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, said Schumaker is an exceptionally motivated individual.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am grateful to have worked with Madeline as a directed research and honors thesis student over the past two years. Her undergrad research will help state and federal agencies understand the recovery of Lake Sturgeon in the Maumee River and throughout Lake Erie. Her thesis will be ready to submit for publication soon because of her hard work and dedication. As a professor, the success of our students is my top priority. I couldn’t be prouder of what Madeline has accomplished and where she is going. I am excited to see what she does next \u2014 it will be great.”<\/p>\n

After graduation, Shumaker said she plans to attend graduate school at the University of Missouri to study the Cuyahoga River.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fieldwork for the assistantship takes place along the Cuyahoga River, allowing me to maintain my Ohio roots while living in a new state,\u201d Shumaker said. “I\u2019m excited to take the next step in my academic and professional journey, made possible by the incredible foundation I\u2019ve built at UToledo. I\u2019m especially grateful for the Department of Environmental Science.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Outside<\/a>

Graduating Dec. 14, Madeline Shumaker’s three summer internships were integral to her growth personally and academically as she prepares for graduate school.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":914,"featured_media":89789,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,69,36,356,39,1,3,7],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89788"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/914"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89788"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89788\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89826,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89788\/revisions\/89826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}