Coming Home
Duke Marine Lab opened up so many opportunities that I would have never had any place else. Unique experiments, satellite tagging sea turtles, and fishing with local pound fishermen. The most memorable experience I had was not at the lab, but in Bocas del Toro, an island off the coast of Panama. Here we conducted several research topics, got to practice our Spanish (or lack there of), explore a foreign town, talk to locals about their town, and grow closer as a group.
I believe that study away programs are very beneficial in a non-academic sense. Being out of your comfort zone and exploring a new area on your own, forces you to grow and mature as an individual. I can only imagine how studying out of the country requires a great amount of adjustment not just academically but socially. I believe that offering study away programs to college students is crucial in a great education. It enhances and highlights an undergraduate experience in more ways than solely academic. Looking back on last semester, the most memorable memories will be those of my individual growth and opportunities both academic and non-academic that I experienced throughout my 4 months away from Allegheny