海角社区

When searching for colleges, Madison Woodson, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and resident of Houston, was looking for a small university but instead found a major at 海角社区 that felt like being at a small school with the amenities and excitement of a big university.

Woodson is majoring in environmental management systems and said she didn鈥檛 have to trade game days in Tiger Stadium for personal attention from her professors.

鈥淲hen I first visited, I got the sense that 海角社区 really cares about you as a person,鈥� Woodson said.

Woodson described herself as a child who loved the outdoors and nature, and when she met with curriculum coordinator Maud Walsh and learned about environmental management systems, she realized that was the path for her.

Small class sizes, professors that know her and coursework that ignites her passion have been the hallmarks of her studies. She said in her major she is getting more than an education.

鈥淒r. Walsh really helps prepare you for a career. She also helps us work on our resume and LinkedIn profile,鈥� Woodson said.

Outside of the classroom, Woodson has had opportunities to expand her experiences in environmental management systems. She is working with M.P. Hayes, an assistant professor of agricultural and industrial water quality who directs the Water Quality Extension Lab. She is assisting Hayes with research on nutrient levels across Louisiana waterways using a fluorescence fingerprinting machine. She will participate in an experiment at 海角社区 AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden.

鈥淭he experiment will be conducted to understand the pulse of   nutrients and organic matter from Ward Creek into the borrow   pit wetlands, which will help forecast long-term impacts to water   crediting for wetland systems,鈥� she said.

 Woodson is in the Honors College and will write a thesis under   the direction of Hayes. She is also pursuing the 海角社区   Distinguished Communicator medal.

 Woodson earned a scholarship from LS-LAMP (Louis Stokes Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation), a program that helps minority and underrepresented students pursuing degrees in science. With the award, she attended the Emerging Researchers National Conference in Atlanta hosted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

These opportunities have helped Woodson focus on her future. She said her sights are set on graduate school. She plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in public health so she can write policies that make positive changes.

鈥淚 am in a class now writing policy briefs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect to get that experience as an undergraduate.鈥�

Woodson sees this as a full circle moment. Her mom recently sent her a picture from middle school. A young Woodson stands in front of a science fair project, investigating fertilizer鈥檚 influence on grass growth.

鈥淢y mom said I鈥檝e always been working in the dirt,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been working towards this path.鈥�