Stephanie Bennett

Why did you decide to enroll at a community college and then to pursue a liberal-arts education? And why Dickinson? 

I decided to enroll into community college after high school because private school was too expensive at that time and I did not want to attend a state school. When I was accepted to Dickinson my sophomore year, I was thrilled. I chose Dickinson because it is a top-rated private liberal-arts college and the partnership program made it financially feasible for my family and me.

Is there a particular academic experience during your time at Dickinson that stands out as most meaningful/influential?  

Environmental-science labs were particularly influential. I came to Dickinson as a psychology major and needed an extra lab to fulfill graduation requirements. I decided to take ES131 (the introductory course to environmental science). By the end of the semester, I was a declared environmental-studies major. I made my decision because I really enjoyed the hands-on, outdoor research. I believe these courses provided me with valuable knowledge and skills that will be beneficial to my success in a future career.

How did your participation in extracurricular opportunities help you become integrated into the social community at Dickinson? And how were those extracurricular involvements critical to your Dickinson experience? 

During my first semester, I went to a few meetings for various clubs and organizations. However, instead of investing extra time in clubs, I decided to intern for nonprofits (Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and PennEnvironment). While I did not join any organizations, I feel that I integrated into the social community exceptionally well. Living in a suite my junior year with seven women involved in various sororities, sports and organizations, I found it easy to transition and expand my social experience.

How do you plan to give back to the college as a member of the alumni community?  

I plan to keep in touch with the Career Center and offer future graduates advice as well as valuable information about entering the environmental field.

What are your post-graduation plans?  

My plan is to move to Philadelphia to pursue internship opportunities with nonprofit organizations. I also would like to take some time to travel to the West Coast and Europe. I intend to apply to graduate school in 2013 to get my master’s in either environmental science or policy.