Excelsis | Fall2023

XCELSIS E FALL 2023

A B AT T E N H O N O R S CO L L E G E P U B L I C AT I O N | V I R G I N I A W E S L E YA N U N I V E R S I T Y

Raising Awareness - Creating Change Fishing For Answers

Sustainability on the Move

Environmental Stewardship Rocket Man Ecosystems of Puerto Rico

A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

A Letter from the Dean

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Passions

his fall we welcomed our newest cohort of scholars. The Matriculation Ceremony and BHC Convocation events are a time of excitement, hope, and gravity. With each class, I am acutely aware of the challenges facing the cohort, the university, and the world.

We cannot avoid the growing crises emerging at home and around the world. It is painfully clear that the best hope for facing these challenges lies in the university students and early-career professionals entering industry and workforces. It is also incumbent on institutions to provide students with the opportunities to develop the skills needed to change the world. Moreover, students need places to develop professional drive and mental resilience without sacrificing their passion, optimism, and sense of self.

I am proud to be a part of a community of committed scholars, caring faculty, and supportive administration that is rising to meet the democratic and social challenges facing our world. This year nearly 100% of our graduating honors college seniors have completed or will complete an internship before their final semester. The first cohort of scholars completing the new Global Capitalize Requirement are doing so in Europe, Central Europe, Africa, Japan, and Australia.

These students are expanding our program’s footprint and sharing their global perspectives with their fellow Marlins.

Our commitment to the world can also be seen here in the Coastal Virginia region. Since the start of the fall semester, BHC scholars have completed hundreds of hours of service to organizations such as The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Virginia Beach SPCA, local churches, food banks, and schools. This fall also heralds the beginning of the Brown Advisory Student Managed Investment Fund. BHC scholars will contribute to the development of the honors college endowment while also learning valuable skills in investment and philanthropy.

As the need for civic engagement, social leadership, civic discourse, and enivronmental stewardship grows, the scholars of the Batten Honors College are rising to meet the challenge. I encourage all to subscribe to our social media platforms and publications and follow the inspiring stories of our incredible scholars and the ways in which they are changing the world.

With hope, prosperity and peace for all, Travis Malone, PhD Anne B. Shumadine Dean Batten Honors College of Virginia Wesleyan University

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A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Raising Awareness Creating Change

By Aiden Foley

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he Students Against Continued Homelessness (SACH) club was started in January 2023 to run the Shack-a-thon, a weekend-long cardboard box sleepout to raise awareness for the conditions of the homeless today. In each of our weekly meetings, we aim to cover an aspect of the homelessness crisis or a related topic. We also talk about our events and plans. I value member input, especially questions and suggestions to more effectively helping our cause.

One of our new initiatives is sending volunteers to the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore because they serve a lot of people and are always in need of volunteers. We are working to forge new connections with local organizations and shelters to hopefully send volunteers there. We are going to run our Shack-a-thon in the spring, with the dates tentatively set for March 8-10. Other on-campus plans for the year include fundraisers for the organizations we work with and to host guest speakers to talk about how we can work together to solve these issues and create a country with less inequality.

Although the Shack-a-thon held in April 2023 was received well, there was not enough engagement on campus, which is why we are trying to do more for the community. We want to engage and connect the

college community to the locals of Hampton Roads and the surrounding infrastructure. We want to create change from the bottom-up, starting with working-class people building interdependent support networks, which starts with learning what we’re up against. We want to build consciousness around the socioeconomic issues that leave people susceptible to homelessness while also working to serve those in need due to the crises of mental health, drug addiction, housing prices, and even LGBTQ conditions that have an effect on all of us.

This club was created around the belief that as a society, we can provide things like shelter, healthcare and food for all, but we must work together. We must no longer tolerate the existing status quo. We will stand against the subjugation and humiliation of millions of Americans who suffer due to defunct social services, economic crashes, and medical debt. We will support the most vulnerable of this country who have been left behind for institutional short-term profits. We will work to build systems that assist the people who want to serve the citizens, and not those who push money around.

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Life is a Beach

IN ALICANTE, SPAIN

By Rhian Tramontana

Rhian at the top of the Castillo de Santa Barbara in Alicante, Spain.

Relajate.This is Spain.

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f there is one thing I remember from my time living in Alicante, Spain, it’s my professor telling me every day to relax. “Live slowly,” she said. “This is Spain.”

It’s hard to remember to relax when living in a foreign country and taking an intensive language course every day.

However, it does help to straighten out priorities. When your family is thousands of miles away and friendships are suddenly brand new and classes are difficult, it starts to become clear that life needs balance.

The majority of my time in Alicante was spent studying. My course was difficult, and speaking Spanish inside and outside the classroom proved to be a challenge. I found it helpful to talk to my roommate and other members of our group in Spanish whenever I could. On days off from class, I focused on finding bookstores and picking up books in Spanish or listening to the news in Spanish. I spent every moment embracing the opportunities of Spain and immersing myself in the language and culture to get the most out of my trip.

One of my most vivid memories of Spain was the walk to

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the beach from my apartment. My roommate and I would walk by the giant, plastic mushroom statues (a tourist attraction) and make our way to the beach, where we would swim and read as the sun set. To the left was a castle from the 9th century, and to the right was the Mediterranean Sea. Surrounded by beauty and history, I finally began to relax. In those moments, I was able to truly connect with new friends, and I would often take pictures to send home.

For me, Spain was an experience rich in insights on how to make any place a home; when studying abroad gets terrifying and overwhelming, there is always a beach, a friend and a book to encourage you to live slowly and enjoy the view. If I could, I’d go back and live in Spain again. Jumping in and experiencing life in another country is an opportunity I hope everyone gets to enjoy. For all the students planning their trips abroad, I encourage you to look at more than the nightlife and attractions. Step out of your comfort zone, because you might be surprised at how confident and impressive of a person you are when faced with the challenge of living in another country.

A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Seize the Opportunity

By Cara Caruso

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hy did I choose Brazil? It’s a question I’ve been asked countless times - before, during, and after my study abroad experience. To be honest, it wasn’t a deliberate choice; it just happened. Once I was aware that São Paulo would be my designated study abroad location I immediately immersed myself in research about the city.

I started learning Portuguese and even took some selfdefense classes in preparation. Did all these preparations really help me? Overall, not as much as I thought. Living abroad comes with unexpected twists and turns, but that’s what makes it such an enriching experience.

I could have never anticipated how incredible studying abroad would be. You meet remarkable people and engage in activities you never imagined doing before. One of my favorite aspects was the freedom to travel. Yes, you’re attending school, but you have a lot of flexibility. Even on school days, there was still ample time to explore the city.

When I couldn’t travel, I often found myself attending events in São Paulo every night that I could. One recurring event my friends and I frequented was called Discotopia. It was a pop-up event featuring DJs who exclusively played vinyl records with themed nights. The excitement regarding this event came from never knowing the when, where, or what until the day of the actual event. This was just one of many memorable experiences I had while exploring São Paulo.

One course that provided immense value to me was the Intensive Portuguese course at the Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado University (FAAP). Although it was challenging, it proved to be one of the most beneficial

aspects of my time abroad. It not only improved my language skills but also gave me insights into the local food, people, and culture.

If you’re contemplating studying abroad, my advice is to seize the opportunity. Time doesn’t wait for anyone, and this is an experience you do not want to miss.

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A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Surveying Freshwater Ecosystems

By John Wampler

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his summer, I had the privilege to work with the Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Environmental Protection’s stream monitoring team. Located just outside of the nation’s capital, the team focuses on electrofishing, which comprises temporarily stunning fish through an electric field, created through a backpack unit, for collection purposes and sampling various streams throughout the county. Some streams were right on the Washington D.C. Beltway, while others were much more remote and on private property. After strapping the electrofishing unit on like a backpack, two passes were made in each stream. Between passes, it was typically my task to search the left and right riparian zones for amphibians and reptiles. I found a multitude of organisms, and this became one of my favorite parts of the job.

After collecting this data and taking habitat surveys, the results were used to update the county’s stream grades and threat levels. This map, done on ArcGIS, serves as a tangible and accessible form of the data that the team collects. In addition to electrofishing, the team also does benthic samples which consist of collecting random samples of leaf detritus from the stream bottom to sample stream bugs. I got involved in that for a few days during the summer when conditions were not optimal for fieldwork. Much of the coursework I have done here at Virginia Wesleyan greatly aided in the completion of

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the summer program. Lab techniques learned in various biology classes aided in the identification of macroinvertebrates, as well as the ability to work and calibrate the water quality measurement tools. Biology lectures, as well as sustainability and Batten Honors College classes, were beneficial with species identification and predicting the effects of human impact. I also got to see samples of the teams’ reports based on their data, furthering my understanding of the importance of public relations.

The biggest takeaways I have from this experience are the importance of effective communication, and research to invoke critical thought in those who do not go out and see environmental happenings. The way the information is communicated is the way people begin to care. The research also demonstrated the need to show the detrimental effects development can have on the local environment. The Clarksburg Outlet was an area of high contention, and also an area with a 10-mile creek, an important local habitat. The data collected this summer determined that the impact amount passed what the environmental impact study stated, showing the need for up-to-date science on developments, and for developments to be kept in check. I plan to take this experience into future fieldwork, serving as a basis for my potential professional career in the area of field research.

FISHING

For Answers

By Sasha Saxon

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ow can a fish be used to improve someone’s quality of life? This summer, under the guidance of Dr. Matthew Alexander’s Neuromuscular Disease Research Lab, I studied the neuromuscular disorder XMEA (X-linked Myopathy with Excessive Autophagy) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) under the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Children’s Alabama. From June till July, I stayed in an apartment-style dorm on campus-- one-hundred square city blocks of Birmingham, Alabama. My paid internship was funded by UAB’s summer neuroscience-focused program, Blazer Brain, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s pilot REU program, which Dr. Alexander merged when he selected my application.

Affecting twenty families globally, XMEA qualifies as an ultra-rare neuromuscular disorder. Heritable through the X chromosome, mothers become unknown carriers and pass it on to their male descendants. Unfortunately, symptoms such as impaired gait and skeletal muscle weakness might present later in a child’s life, leaving families perplexed and taxed with finding resources that don’t exist for such a rare disorder.

Using Danio rerio, zebrafish, as a model organism to study neuromuscular disorders presents distinct advantages; their skeletal muscle, which makes up 60% of their body, is physiologically comparable to those of humans and early in their life cycle, it is easily visualized with basic tests.

I plunged headfirst into a reverse genetics project, targeting a model organism’s genotype with the CRISPR/Cas9 system, performing animal husbandry, and running phenotypic assays to assess the presentation of the genetic variant. In other words, we used a gene editing system to create a zebraf-

ish mutation that mimics a patient with XMEA. This was done to create a model with physical symptoms mimicking that of a human, to investigate drug repurposing. Drug repurposing accelerates the process of providing patients with medicine that hopefully slows or halts muscle wasting, as we can run FDA-approved drugs on our models.

As a Blazer Brain student, I participated in lab research, presented a three-minute thesis, gave a ten-minute “chalk talk,” and attended weekly meetings on graduate school education, scientific literacy, and Ph.D. research. I also had the opportunity to shadow a pediatric neurosurgeon and Dr. Alexander at a muscular dystrophy clinic. Ultimately, I presented at UAB’s undergraduate research expo, where I engaged in scientific communication with three judges from all academic backgrounds.

As one of four undergraduate women in the MDA program, I gave short presentations to the program coordinators and will be required to present additional research at the MDA conference in March of 2024, in Orlando, Florida.

Two months in the lab is very short–especially when working with animals that require you to work on their timeline. If my experience had been longer, I would have continued the process with patient-specific gene lines, possibly conducting in vitro fertilization and continuing drug testing. However, in my rollercoaster of a time, I gleaned quite a bit about genetic editing, lab work, and career development from my various mentors. I would like to thank Dr. Johnson and Dr. Easter, for equipping me with an arsenal of lab techniques and detailed conceptualization of biological processes, which prepared me to represent VWU and the BHC to the best of my ability.

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A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Sustainability on the Move

By Jessica Wilson

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ast summer, I had the honor to be a Green Teams Intern with the PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies (PSEGISS). This program pairs interdisciplinary teams of five interns with a business, non-profit, or government entity to deliver sustainability deliverables. Projects range from collaborating with local farmers to tackling energy production throughout global supply changes. My team worked with Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), the largest healthcare network in NJ, to develop a sustainable transportation plan. Not only are transportation emissions the leading contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions in the US, but they lead to health impacts in the community.

This is of particular interest to HMH, given that their transportation footprint is harming the communities that they intend to serve. Through my research, I found that there are two F-rated counties and three D-rated counties with HMH locations for their pollution levels from car exhaust.

In this role, I calculated HMH’s transportation carbon footprint and developed specific recommendations including fleet electrification, a carpool program, and a public transportation program. Not only did I build hard skills in cost-benefit analysis and carbon accounting, but I gained experience within a corporate setting. For example, I led multiple corporate meetings with our company representatives and other professionals. I collaborated with

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others in the field of sustainability management during weekly training sessions, career panels, and other experiences such as a sustainability conference at the United Nations Headquarters.

The Batten Honors College prepared me well for this internship program by instilling in me critical thinking and soft skills. Honors courses like Contemporary Environmental Issues gave me experience working on sustainability projects in an interdisciplinary setting. In fact, during this course, my group and I developed a sustainable transportation plan for VWU that I built upon during my internship. Furthermore, the Batten Honors College grew my management skills in self directed projects such as the Intentional Endowment Network Student Corporate Engagement Challenge.

A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Honing in on Housing Assistance

By Sam Silvia

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hen I think about the goals of the Batten Honors College and what goals I relate to the most, I think about its strive for civic engagement and community service. I think about the impact it wishes to have upon the city, nation, and world of which it is a part of. To have this effect on our communities, though, we must know about the workings of our locality, where improvements can be made. This summer, I had the opportunity to learn about a large aspect of our city: housing.

From June through early August, I worked for the city of Virginia Beach in the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Preservation in the Rental Housing and Code Enforcement divisions. Rental Housing runs the Housing Choice Vouchers program, formerly known as Section 8, and other federally funded rental assistance programs, while Code Enforcement is responsible for ensuring all private properties follow city building codes. I was accepted into this position from Virginia Beach’s Summer Youth Employment Program, a program offering paid jobs to work for city and private organizations for eight weeks of the summer.

In my position, I assisted Code Enforcement with record management, mailing, and helping the inspectors complete their inspections. During my time, I assisted with paid lien and check reconciliations for Codes and formatted a new process of reconciling, which left my mark on the department. For

rental housing, I did data entry for a federal grant application which our city applies for with the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development every year called the Section Eight Management Assessment Program. I also worked with intake and recertification with the Housing Choice Voucher program, reviewing client applications and reaching out to participants to receive required documents.

To be successful in my various roles, I needed to be able to interact with coworkers and clients in a professional manner.

During my time with the Honors College, I have spoken with professionals and people from many backgrounds. Having the chance to interact with clients, learn about social welfare programs, and understand the role housing plays in the family system gave me a better idea of where my passions lie as a social work and sociology major. This allowed me to observe case work, which is where I would like to go after graduation.

It also provided me the ability to witness that without housing it is hard to have anything else. My Honors College education assisted me in gaining this position, allowing me to explore my chosen field of study.

From my work, I was able to have the experience of being an employee of the city, which is an incredible opportunity. I was able to become more educated on state and federal law, as well as important resources that are offered to residents. The amount of knowledge and experience I have gained from this work is immeasurable, and I am very thankful for the educational opportunities the Batten Honors College provided to have achieved it.

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REFLECTIONS from an SGA President

By Eddie McDonald

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ike many members of the Batten Honors College, I have always been an active member of my community.

I was the student representative for my class during elementary school, debate team captain in middle school, and yearbook manager in high school. However, as a college freshman during the height of the COVID-19 global pandemic, being present and involved had never been more difficult.

While I eventually found pockets of community within my cohort, I was still yearning to be a part of something more, something impactful. Little did I know that the opportunity for such an endeavor was just around the corner.

In spring semester, as COVID restrictions were beginning to ease, the then Student Government Association President, Joey Mueller, and I were collaborating on a research project.

Our research was an analysis of the Mental Health Emergency Policies of VWU and our peer universities in Virginia. This subject was significant to both of us, and we were hoping to implement our findings on campus later the following year.

Running for Student Government provided us with just the opportunity to do so. After being elected as a sophomore student senator, Joey and I collaborated on various projects within the SGA, such as modernizing the Constitution, implementing policy changes on campus, and building the framework for a Student Senate that was focused on campus improvement projects and social outreach activities.

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After a successful sophomore year, I ran for the SGA President on the platform of “Transparency, Campus Improvement, and YOU.” These cornerstones of my future administration largely mirrored the BHC Pillars of leadership, environmental stewardship, and global engagement, but on a campus-level. Of all the initiatives that the SGA executed, I am most proud of the inclusion of VWU’s Mental Health Emergency Practices in the 2023-24 Student Handbook; the research project Joey and I started has finally been completed, and students now have a clearer understanding of the ways that the University will support them during their challenging times.

In addition to the inclusion of the Mental Health Emergency Practices in the Student Handbook, the Student Senate passed thirty-two pieces of legislation in one year. Creating and executing policy is not easy, to say the least. I also didn’t anticipate how challenging it would be to preside over a room full of campus leaders and lifelong-learners. It took a lot of practice to develop a modus operandi that channels all of our individual opinions into one collective voice. This is what makes serving in Student Government so rewarding.

Last spring, I was reelected to serve another term as the SGA President. We have much to accomplish. I’m looking forward to my senior year being one of service and community as I pass the torch to the next cohort of campus leaders.

AIDEN CROGHAN

CALEE LUKOWSKI

Where are you from?

AIDEN: Louisville, Kentucky CALEE: Minerva, Ohio KENDALL: Yorktown, Virginia MILO: Virginia Beach, Virginia What groups have you gotten involved in on campus so far?

AIDEN: I’m a volunteer writer for the Marlin Chronicle and a member of the BHC Programs Council and Students Against Continued Homelessness.

CALEE: I have joined the BHC Programs Council and the Student Advisory Board.

I am also a workshop writer for the Marlin Chronicle.

KENDALL: I have participated in the volleyball program. So far it has been intense, but I have really bonded with my teammates so it’s worth it.

MILO: I’ve gotten involved with the Black Student Union, Students Against Community Homelessness, the Programs Council, as well as the community garden at Haygood United Methodist Church. I’m planning on attending meetings of Spectrum and the Fishing Club as well!

Do you know what you want to major and/or minor in?

AIDEN: I’m contemplating doing a double major in Media and Communications and Philosophy.

CALEE: English with a possible minor in Philosophy KENDALL: Earth and Environmental Science and a minor in Marine Biology MILO: I have no clue! I definitely want to have a major/minor in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, but I want to study something else as well.

What made you choose the BHC? AIDEN: My uncle suggested that I visit . VWU

KENDALL ABERCROMBIE

truly felt like the only school I had visited with a truly accepting environment and a personal education. During my visit, it was suggested that I apply to the BHC, and as the competitions went on, I only fell more in love with the University.

CALEE: I really loved the community of this place. I felt like the people here really cared about me as a person and not as a number.

I also really liked the opportunities offered such as the study abroad program.

KENDALL: I chose BHC due to its focus on the environment and sustainability, which lines up with my interests and values. Additionally, I was drawn to the tight-knit community it offered.

MILO: Originally, I just wanted to get some money off my tuition, and live in close proximity to my cohort. My reasoning for joining has changed a lot though! Since then, I realized my passion for environmental protection, and want to use my privilege of being in the BHC to do what I can for my planet.

Did you complete any summer jobs or volunteering?

AIDEN: Over the summer I had two jobs.

I worked at Parlour, a pizza restaurant owned by my dad as well as at a family friend’s restaurant, where I worked full-time for about a year.

CALEE: I mowed grass for a family friend this summer.

KENDALL: I was a referee for a couple of volleyball matches and volunteered at the touch tank at the Virginia Living Museum.

MILO: I worked on a farm in Pungo for about fifteen months. I took care of 11-14 horses, sold hay, and built kites in a shop on the property.

What are you looking forward to most in the BHC and at VWU? AIDEN: Studying abroad–I love to travel and

MILO SCHUEHLE

learn about other cultures.

CALEE: Studying abroad KENDALL: Forming close friendships within my cohort and doing fun things like hanging out at the beach or playing spike ball.

MILO: Going to Busch Gardens and other events with my friends! Even just studying as a group is fun, so I’m sure that non-class-related events will be a blast.

I’m also excited about the arts showcase! I can’t wait to perform.

What professional or academic experiences have prepared you for college?

AIDEN: Having experience working full time definitely prepared me for the time crunch that college is. I also studied full-time in a dual enrollment program at the University of Louisville last year and that helped me prepare for college courses.

CALEE:Participating in my high school’s dual enrollment program with local colleges back home. It allowed me to get used to the coursework and develop time management skills.

KENDALL: AP classes in high school prepared me academically. Playing sports helped me learn to manage my time while also getting me out of my comfort zone socially. Being a referee taught me intrapersonal skills by dealing with angry parents and players.

MILO: I don’t think anything could have truly prepared me for college; this is because I graduated early, and didn’t get the same pre-college experiences that many of my peers had. However, working on a farm during my gap semester helped me in its own way. Though being paid made me more motivated in my labor, I developed skills in communication, and labor, as well as independence in decision-making. I may still struggle with completing assignments, but I’m more confident in seminars and public speaking than I’ve ever been, due to the work I did over the summer.

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A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Political Science Predoctoral Summer Institute (PS-PSI) BHC seniors attended the second annual PS-PSI held at Georgetown University in June 2023. The program provided them with great insights into the ‘hidden knowledge’ about Ph.D. programs. Pictured from left to right: BHC seniors Josh Spicer, Kainaat Trehan, and VWU student Joseph Gray

Model UN Delegation

BHC students represented Venezuela in the National Model UN held at New York City from April 2nd through April 7th, 2023. The delegation received an honorable mention in the distinguished delegation category of honors at the conference.

VaSIP All-State Rookie of the Year

Sarah Prosser was named VaSIP All-State Rookie of the Year for all her accolades last season. She became only the 3rd Marlin to have 70 hits in a single season, and also made it to the First-Team All-Region, 2023 NCAA Softball Regional AllTournament team and First-Team All-Conference.

Published Co-Author

VCHC Annual Conference BHC students Jessica Wilson, Sam Silvia, Rhian Tramontana, and Katie Baker presented at the annual conference of the Virginia Collegiate Honors Council held at Longwood University from April 14-15.

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BHC sophomore Jake Hofstetter assisted Dr. Scott P. Kennedy, the director of the Kennedy Laboratory, on his research on the crossspecies infection of pigs through Rat hepatitis E. Consequently, Jake is now a published co-author of the work, Rat Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Cross-Species Infection and Transmission in Pigs.

A BATTEN HONORS COLLEGE PUBLICATION | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

E V E N TS

Reading Day Brunch

BHC students took part in celebrating the end of the school year and nominating their fellow students in fun superlatives which were handed out during the later part of the brunch.

Airness

BHC students took part in jamming during the spring VWU play, Airness, from March 30th to April 2nd 2023.

Deliberative Dialogue

BHC students participated with the VWU community to discuss the pros and cons of ways to take action against Climate Change as presented by the Robert Nusbaum Center in April 2023. Pictured from Left to Right, Brooke Morris’ 23, Kainaat Trehan, Sam Silvia, Christian Palmisano, Abigail Peterson’ 23 and Connor Merk’ 23. Credited to the Robert Nusbaum Center

Spring Academic Symposium

BHC students Abigail Peterson ‘23, Ethan Labelle ‘23, Breanna Mahoney, and Jack Palmer presented at the Premier Session during the Spring Academic Symposium 2023.

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ALUMNI Spotlight

Ryan Westpfhal ‘22 (pictured in the middle) is currently

working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and serves as the assistant coach for VWU’s women’s field hockey team. She is also enrolled in an Executive Master of Natural Resources program in addition to completing a Professional Certificate in Global Sustainability at Virginia Tech, for which she will be traveling to Mexico soon.

She credits her experiences - volunteer work, class projects, internships - at the Batten Honors College as key roles in forging the connection with the Chesapeake Bay

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Foundation that eventually led to her current position at the Foundation. She also attributes her thorough understanding of the Foundation to the combination of service work and her degree in Earth and Environment Science. On the field, her leadership inspires girls to pursue their passion: “...if you’re doing something you’re passionate about, all of the work you put in doesn’t feel like work at all. Instead, you are filled with feelings of gratitude and immense appreciation for the opportunities to be a part of all of these different communities.” When asked about the resources that BHC students could utilize to get ready for the workforce, she suggested: “The VWU/BHC/any other existing communities around you are your best resource! Read your emails, go to that Friday volunteer event, shadow your professors, ask hard questions, and challenge yourself to do new things. All of our parents and coaches have told us before, ‘It is what you make it’ and I wholeheartedly believe that.”

Ryan Westpfhal credits her successes since graduation to the BHC and other resources that she used at VWU. The BHC community looks forward to watching Ryan grow professionally as her success continues.