Nicholas Grimm
- Senior in Agricultural Education
- CAHNRS Ambassador
“Being a CAHNRS Ambassador is really an invaluable opportunity. One of my favorite things about being an Ambassador is having the opportunity to acquire a fairly in-depth understanding of each of the programs within our incredibly diverse college. Not only does that improve my personal educational experience, it also allows me to speak with hundreds of high school students so that I can share my knowledge and, hopefully, help them discover which career choice is best for them. One thing that doesn’t cease to be rewarding is watching the look of relief on a high school student’s face after one of the many confusing and intimidating aspects of post-secondary education is broken down and explained for them by an Ambassador.”
Zorah Oppenheimer
- Senior in wildlife ecology
- CAHNRS on-campus intern
I worked as an intern on campus at the pygmy rabbit facilities and the wild ungulate facility. I got to help raise black-tail deer fawns over the summer. I also helped with the release of pygmy rabbits in Ephrata. I personally learn much better on the job than I do in class, so during my internship, I was able to learn about permit processes and how a release actually works, as well as some of the finer points of raising babies. With wildlife ecology, you can read about what to do and have people tell you what to do, but until you go out and do it, it’s kind of meaningless. It’s such a hands-on degree.
Jessica McCorkle
2010 Alumnus, Contract Designer with Westfield- Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles
- CAHNRS Undergraduate Research Project Grant Recipient
My research project dealt with a total re-fit of the West Point Academy uniform for female cadets. I worked with Professor Carol Salusso. It was really great, and actually, is the reason I got my job. My employer looked at the work I did on the project and counted it as another year of industry experience. Now, I am a contract designer with Westfield in Seattle developing product designs for companies like REI, Costco, and BassPro Shops.
Meghan Munter
- Senior in Animal Science
- Won first place in 2010 CAHNRS Undergraduate Research Project Competition
I found a network of people in animal science that really encouraged me to go beyond and try things that I haven’t. I worked with Professor Derek Mclean to look for the genes that help determine oocyte quality in ewes. I am so thankful for that opportunity and for faculty members and advisers who support undergraduates in their labs. This was definitely hands-on—it was a huge learning experience for me. I now know I could go into a research field and be successful.
Victoria Marsh
- Sophomore, CAHNRS Ambassador
- CAHNRS intern with WSU’s Ripple Effect Project
I have had a passion for agriculture for many years serving as a State FFA Officer, but my desire to help others in Africa was developed in the past year through my internship with Ripple Effect, a WSU-organized non-profit working in Malawi. When the opportunity to travel with FFA in Rwanda came up, I went for it. We started by surveying farmers in a village south of Kigali. After asking questions like “how many days out of the last month have you been hungry?” and getting the response “every day,” it made me really think. I knew what hunger was intellectually, but it truly changes your life once you’ve looked in someone’s eyes and seen what it looks like.
