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In Lilly Padilla’s favorite class they don’t just read about
endangered species, they actually go find them in the wild.
For Roarke Donnelly’s Conservation Ecology course, Lilly and
her four classmates took a three-day trip to Sapelo Island and
the Okefenokee Swamp.
With a five-person class, Donnelly is able to delve deeper
into the material while giving students firsthand experiences to
reinforce their studies.
“We actually put the material into play,” she said. “I had
never been interested in nature. When I signed up for this
class, I never thought we’d be going somewhere for an experience
like this. Now I’m fascinated; this experience has changed me.
You see things differently and appreciate things more.”
The class saw 70 alligators in their first 90 minutes at
Okefenokee Swamp. They found ghost crabs, egrets, wood storks,
bears and cottonmouth snakes over the weekend as well.
Throughout the trip, Donnelly lectured the students on the
island’s history, background and species they found.
“Oglethorpe is a great university because of the interaction
with professors,” said Lilly. “We see each other around campus
and can say hello. They actually care about your education and
your future.”
“I think the small class size is great,” Lilly said. “I was
really impressed at the [admission] open house when I observed
Dr. Dan Schadler’s class. He knew every student’s name. I loved
that interaction.”
This semester the ecology class will also visit the Georgia
Aquarium, Panola Mountain and Zoo Atlanta, giving students a
chance to learn about the new baby panda.
When not studying the natural environment, Lilly is doing her
part to improve it. She is active in Alpha Phi Omega, a national
coeducational service fraternity, and Circle K, a
Kiwanis-affiliated service organization.
“I love service,” said Lilly, who works 15 hours each week at
a pediatrician’s clinic in Norcross. “Oglethorpe’s commitment to
service is great. I love that students are actually interested
in helping the community. It’s awesome that Oglethorpe could
involve us and coordinate projects during inauguration and
orientation.” |
