I’m an international student from Bengaluru, India. I grew up in close proximity to vibrant tropical biodiversity which is why I’m hugely passionate about anything to do with nature – from cool rocks and fossils to bizarre plants and insects — and can talk at length about these topics!

I took up Earth and Space Sciences as my major because I love learning about the Earth’s history but through my classes and experiences at the College of Environment, I’ve been able to expand on my academic focus to include my interest in natural resources and economics. My favorite part about the College of Environment so far is just how welcoming and passionate the community is. All my professors and mentors have been so encouraging as I explore through my learning journey and have always been open to giving me advice and guidance when I need it most.

My tip for prospective students would be to take time to explore and figure out what inspires you. You don’t have to immediately know exactly what you want to do and you are free to change directions if that’s what you want. Get involved in research if you can. It is an excellent way to find connections, resources and professional guidance!

Feel free to reach out to me to know more about the international student experience, undergraduate research or for cool plant facts! Good luck and happy exploring!

My undergraduate experience in the College of the Environment has given me life-long connections, cultivated new passions, and provided amazing experiences. I have loved my time at the College of the Environment because I’ve been able to learn the ins and outs of careers in the environmental field through an interdisciplinary approach. Coming from a small town in Ohio, I had minimal exposure to the environmental field and the current research being done. I found my major by taking classes within the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. I knew it was the right fit for me because every professor I had was super passionate about their subjects and every time I took an environmental class, I would catch myself signing up for another immediately after. I love learning about the history of the land as well as the future implications of our current interactions with the environment. Outside of the classroom, one of my favorite aspects of my experience at the UW is my research position that focuses on wildlife conservation, specifically with penguins in Patagonia and the Galapagos. I’ve also been a member of the Interdisciplinary Honors program on campus as well as multiple internships. These groups have allowed me to find smaller communities within our big on-campus community, while also pushing me to explore many interests I didn’t even know I had before coming to UW. My coursework, research positions, and involvement in various RSO’s and programs on campus have made my college experience so fulfilling and exciting.

My biggest piece of advice to students is to be proactive! I’ve found that reaching out to professors that inspire you can open many doors for you as an undergrad. Also, facilitating relationships with your peers and finding groups on campus that you’re interested in can be really helpful in making your college transition smoother. Be yourself and explore your interests. That’s what college is all about!

Coming to the UW from a small town outside Chicago not knowing a single person was intimidating, but in my last two years with the College of the Environment, I have found my community. From peers to professors, courses to clubs, there are so many different ways to meet people and get involved. Be adventurous! You never know where a new opportunity might lead. The College provides a wide variety of environmental disciplines, so whether you want to go deep into forests, oceans or space, there is a path here for you.

At the same time, do not be afraid of the size of the College; everyone here wants you to succeed. My best advice is to not be afraid to reach out. Get to know your TAs; ask professors about their research; come quiz me about the best boba places in Seattle! I am halfway through my Environmental Science Wildlife Conservation degree, a student assistant in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences advising office and Seattle coffee lover. I can give plenty of advice about ESRM, but feel free to ask about coding, running, football, or anything UW!

My advice to prospective students who are considering studying the environment at UW is go for it! Now more the ever UW and the world need people who are passionate about our planet and want to make positive changes. The classes are all meaningful and interesting and the students in the College of the Environment are driven and inspiring to work alongside. Also there are so many opportunities to get outside and be involved in groundbreaking climate research. My decision to study Environmental Science has been so rewarding and one of the best parts of my experience at UW.

I’ve always been an indecisive person when it comes to making choices that will stick with me for my entire life, and declaring a major was no exception to this rule. During the college application process, I did some research and landed on Environmental Studies as a prospective major. It was no surprise to me that I came into the University of Washington without any knowledge of whether or not I was going to stick to this initial choice of major. I was pleasantly surprised that upon arriving, I did not have any qualms about the selection that I made. This is massively owed to the interdisciplinary nature of the Environmental Studies major. Being able to explore multiple dimensions of environmentalism simultaneously has quelled the restlessness I felt when making that life altering decision. All in all, the College of the Environment has provided a space for me to explore a wide range of subjects within my interests without the fear of picking “wrongly” looming over me.

I’ve had the awesome opportunity to spend a quarter at Friday Harbor Labs not once, but twice! Last year, I spent my winter learning how to use Scanning Electron Microscopes, CT scanners and other pieces of sophisticated scientific equipment for the biovisualization apprenticeship and spent my spring getting immersed in the hands-on learning that the ZooBot program has to offer. No matter what your major is in the College of the Environment, I would heartily recommend the experience to anyone and can answer any questions to students who are interested in the programs at FHL!

If you have a passion for the environment and tackling environmental issues, you’re basically 75% there. The resources and experiences you’ll have here at UW will fill in the rest and equip you with all you need to create real change in the world, whatever that looks like to you. I’m not saying that just because you have passion things will be a walk in the park. I’m saying that when the career you pursue does get especially difficult, the only thing that will always get you through is love for what you do and the reasons why you do it. 

Something you should know about me is that as an incoming freshman, I had no intention of graduating from the College of the Environment. I came in as an Engineering Undeclared student with a love for the environment just trying to find a degree to make money and my family proud. I hadn’t known Bioresource Science and Engineering existed but when I discovered it I knew it was the perfect fit. It perfectly married my passions and interests with my skills and strengths. It also happened to be the only engineering major in the College of the Environment 😛

While the University of Washington is a large university, the College of the Environment offers small class sizes great for finding a tight-knit community. In addition to the College of the Environment, the Interdisciplinary Honors Program is a great way to bring together perspectives from other disciplines to have a more holistic and inclusive view on solving global issues. Whether you’re interested in scientific research, policy research, museum curation, and other disciplines within the environmental field, the College of the Environment is the place to be. I’ve had the opportunity to explore my many interests with the wide variety of experiential learning UW has to offer. From being a research intern at a neuroscience lab to digitizing archives of century-old herbarium specimens, there are so many chances to expand my horizon through the College of the Environment. My advice to prospective students is to explore many unique research sites that UW owns. From The Center for Urban Horticulture (Seattle, WA) to the Olympic Natural Resources Center (Forks, WA) to Friday Harbor Laboratories (Friday Harbor, WA), there are many locations to dive into hands-on research and meet amazing people with similar interests and a multitude of perspectives.

I came to UW with an interest in the environment but uncertain of my major. During my freshman year I met with advisers in the college of the environment who helped me better understand the pros and cons of different areas of focus. Majoring in environmental studies is allowing me to explore both humanities and scientific perspectives through an interdisciplinary approach. Students in my classes always bring up new interesting topics to discuss. I have had many cool experiences within my classes such as working with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and doing vegetation surveys. My advice to incoming freshmen is to get involved in student clubs on campus. There are so many clubs ranging from hiking with professors to advocating for environmental solutions to volunteering in restoration work. Enjoy your time at UW, you can always learn from your professors, TAs, and the students around you.

As an undergraduate double-majoring in the College of the Environment, I have had the opportunity to meet faculty and students from across multiple disciplines. When I came into college, I felt like I had some knowledge of the social issues that were apart of environmental justice, but I didn’t know if I had any real power as an undergraduate. Now that I have been a part of some bigger conversations and workshops at the College, I’ve built the confidence to become a better leader and science communicator. I have been lucky to have access to multiple organizations within my majors that make this commitment a priority.

In addition to being involved with the College, I’d highly recommend undergraduates to get involved in research! I believe it is a great way to gain work experience early and figure out what truly interests you. There is tons of support throughout the College so it can end up being a very rewarding experience. As always, I am always happy to talk and help undergraduates navigate the college so please feel free to reach out!

My advice for prospective students is to reach out to your professors and TA’s about their research! One of my favorite parts about the College of the Environment is the amazing research being done by faculty and research scientists, and how undergrads can take part in that research. Whether it be for a capstone project for your major, an internship or being a student assistant in a lab, professors are looking to have undergrads involved in their research. In addition, there’s multiple opportunities for undergrads to have their independent research presented or even published; either at the Undergrad Research Symposium or at the College’s very own undergrad research journal, FieldNotes! Try reaching out to professors, going to office hours or talking to your TA’s about the research going on around campus to really immerse yourself in the College of the Environment!

Moving to Seattle and being a student at UW can definitely be overwhelming, but the College of the Environment is a community that has always felt welcoming. From meeting like-minded peers to chatting with professors, I’ve made so many connections at UW that have made my experience extremely rewarding.

My advice for any prospective students is to not be afraid to reach out and ask for opportunities to get involved! I’ve learned of clubs/groups on campus through fellow students who have now become some of my good friends. I’m currently an active member of the UW Dawgcast, a forecasting club on campus, and it has led me to some of my favorite experiences. With the club, I’ve been able to meet many amazing meteorologists/climatologists and even get the chance to present at the Mariners Weather Education Day. When you’re presented with an opportunity, try it out!

Outside of the College, I’ve had experience with being in Greek life as well as balancing schoolwork with an on-campus job. If you have questions about any of these things or more, please feel free to reach out! I’m happy to help!

When I first moved to Seattle, it was a bit overwhelming to be in a new city and state, especially at such a large school like UW. However, I quickly realized what an amazing, close community I had waiting for me with the College of the Environment. There are so many different options for degree programs within the College, and the faculty and professors are so kind and supportive; I’ve truly loved every major class I’ve taken here!

My advice for prospective students would be to reach out to your advisor and peer mentors in your program to find ways to get connected to the community, whether it be through environment-related RSOs, internships, undergraduate research, or otherwise. The College provides a tight-knit community, but you still have access to the resources and connections of a large research institution, so take advantage of them and say yes to opportunities when they come your way!

Please feel free to reach out to me about my experiences as an environmental studies major here at UW, I’d love to chat! Outside of school I love all things outdoors, especially hiking and backpacking, and I love sharing my takes on the best outdoor spots in and around Seattle. I also work an on-campus job and am happy to talk about balancing work and school!

Something about the College of the Environment that immediately caught my attention was just how interdisciplinary and complex the environment is in terms of exploring not only the ecosystem and nature, but also society, politics and culture. This program allows me to both delve into new topics and areas while simultaneously completing requirements for my degree, and it has introduced me to new disciplines I hadn’t tried before, like communication and advocacy. Overall, my experience in this College has shaped me as it has introduced me to a new way of perceiving and understanding the world; I feel like I’ve learned not only about how to help make society more sustainable, but also how to be a better person and to have more empathy. To finish off with a little piece of advice, you do not have to have your entire life or career figured out by the time you get to college – take this time to try different classes and majors to figure out who you are as a person and who you want to be in the future!

The college of the environment has opened up my eyes to so many different opportunities and paths that I can take. Coming into the college, all I knew was that I wanted to do marine biology. But now going into my 3rd year and being engulfed in the College of the Environment, I know the exact path I want to take and how to pursue it. My advice for you all would be to do what makes you happy. There are so many possibilities at this school! So try and dabble in everything that peaks your interest. I would like prospective students to know that they can approach me at any time! I love meeting knew people and making friends, so don’t be shy if you have any questions or just want to talk (also if you love drawing or old movies, then we have something in common!).

Although the size of UW can seem intimidating at first, the College of the Environment has made Seattle my home away from home. Through various lab research at the Friday Harbor Laboratories and internships with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I was immediately immersed in a community where I could grow, not only as a student, but also as an individual. My advice to prospective students is therefore to get involved as soon as you can and don’t be afraid to ask for help! There is so much to learn, and many talented people to meet. Connections with professors have led to doors of opportunity that I wouldn’t have known existed otherwise, so make sure to have fun venturing through the diverse sets of classes this school has to offer.

With so much to explore, I can understand it seems a bit overwhelming, so please feel free to reach out if you have any questions! I would be more than happy to give advice on any UW or College of the Environment related things. Also, with growing up abroad and hiking my way throughout the world, I’m more than happy to chat about the great outdoors as well!

One thing that I would tell prospective students is that the College of the Environment, even more so than some other departments at the UW, is a very supportive place. The fact that almost all of our majors are open means that College of the Environment students work to support one another and don’t feel that another student’s success will be to their detriment. I also would like to say that I feel like the College of the Environment does a great job fostering connections between students and faculty. Specifically in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, I feel as though I have at least some familiarity with most if not all of the faculty members, even ones whose classes I haven’t taken. In addition, all of the professors feel very approachable; I feel like I could have a conversation with any professor in the college without feeling awkward or like I’m wasting their time. I also would like to highlight the college’s academic advisors. My advisor for Aquatic and Fishery Sciences has been by far the most helpful academic advisor I have ever had in my entire academic career.