Meet Some of Our Students

Name: Suzanne Kosinski
Email: skos0509@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Animal Science & Technology, Pre-vet option
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Companion Animal Management with Dr. Nippo. The course is mainly about the management of dogs and cats and their nutrition, development, training, etc. The BEST part was that Dr. Nippo let us bring in our own dogs or cats for the class.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
My professors within my major (AVS) are great! Dr. Nippo, who has been my professor and is also my advisor, has encouraged me to become involved in the activities of my college.
Where do you live? On campus? Down-the- line? (URI term for living by the beach) On campus in Fayerweather Hall.

Name: Renee Crevier
Email: Reneec81@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Environmental Economics & Management
Hometown: Warwick, Rhode Island
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Marine Affairs 434- Environmental Law- This was the most interesting class I've taken here (URI). I've learned so much in that class, and it was fun. I would recommend that everyone take the class. Professor Gordon is a great professor.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
Friends I've made through CELS (College of the Environment & Life Sciences) classes; through bonding together we've made it through the toughest classes.
Where do you live? I live at home, but on the weekends I can be found in Narragansett.

Name: Amy DeGraide
Email: adeg2615@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Landscape Architecture
Hometown: Coventry, Rhode Island
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
My favorite class here at URI was PLS 200, Introduction to Plant Protection, with Professor Englander. It offered me a chance to get away from my ordinary classes and learn about something new and different. Prof. Englander has a ton of energy and really got the class into the subject.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
Landscape Architecture pushes internships. I worked for two summers with a landscape architecture firm in Connecticut. This experience allowed me to apply the knowledge from school and to learn a ton more. These internships have opened doors for me. I was able to network with alumni who are professionals in the field.
Where do you live? I lived on campus for 3 years, now I live at home with my parents.

Name: Dan Linden
Email: dlin7916@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Wildlife & Conservation Biology
Hometown: Warwick, Rhode Island
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
NRS (Natural Resources Science) classes. Wildlife Management Techniques with Dr. Scott McWilliams because the class was a 'hands-on' lab, and Dr. McWilliams is an excellent and demanding professor.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
I was a Coastal Fellow for 3 years, with a combined 4 internships. I also had an internship in wildlife consulting during Summer 2002.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
Carol Trocki, Dr. Paton, and Dr. Husband
Where do you live? Down-the-line, in Eastward Look.

Name: Nick Castrataro
Email: ncas3691@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Urban Horticulture & Turf Management
Hometown: Cumberland, Rhode Island
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Arboriculture. I am a tree guy, and Dr. Maynard is a great professor.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
I've worked at East Farm's Horticultural Research Farm. I worked under Dr. Maynard. I've learned a lot. You learn more from 'hands-on' work and getting something wrong and seeing why, than you do in class and labs. I have gone out in the field on calls to see how Dr. Maynard uses all the information that he dishes out to us.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
My bosses, Dr. Maynard and Bill Johnson. I have learned so much from them. Dr. Maynard also pushes me to do more and shows me how I can do things better.
Where do you live? At home in Cumberland

Name: Beth Gibson
Email: bethgibson34@hotmail.com
Major: Wildlife & Conservation Biology
Hometown: Newark, Delaware
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Currently I'm taking Wetland Ecology with Dr. Frank Golet. I love it because of the way he presents his material and then by going into the field it all comes together! Also, Ornithology with Dr. Paton was great!
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
I did a Coastal Fellowship with Frank Golet and Dennis Skidds on predicting hydroperiods in vernal pools in Southern Rhode Island. I learned so much during the summer by hanging outside all day in the swamps with great people!
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
So many people have helped me to be successful! Dr. Paton helped me out a lot and took me under his wing as an Ornithology Teaching Assistant. I learned tons from Dr. Golet, as a Coastal Fellow, and Dr. McWilliams and Dr. Husband are always there to chat with!
Where do you live? Matunuck!

Name: Erica Booth
Email: Kiwisails01@aol.com
Major: Aquaculture & Fisheries Technology
Hometown: Niantic, Connecticut
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Dr. Bradley's Salmonid Aquaculture class, because it offered great 'hands-on' experience with raising salmon.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
I worked with the Writing Consultant Program at URI for Dr. Rice & Dr. Shamoon to help beginning aquaculture students improve their scientific writing skills.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
Dr. Rice. He really broke things down for me and gave me guidance with my major as well as where to go to graduate school and what to look for as far as job opportunities after graduation.
Where do you live?
Great Island

Name: Debra Hegner
Email: dheg8747@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Animal Science & Technology
Hometown: Fredon, New Jersey
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
AVS 104- Animal Management Techniques. It was so much fun! I really liked how much 'hands-on' work we got with the animals. I got to see twin lambs being born, play with baby goats, and train a cow for a show at the end of the semester.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
The only outside of the class experience I have is being a Teaching Assistant for AVS anatomy lab. I am trying to start volunteering at the zoo.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
Dr. Nippo has provided some guidance about which classes I should take. Dr. Petersson has offered me the opportunities to be a TA for anatomy lab and AVS 104 this coming spring. Her classes are difficult but that only made me work harder.
Where do you live? Down-the-line, in the Pier (Narragansett Beach)

Name: Scott Keiter
Email: skei9546@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Environmental & Natural Resource Economics
Hometown: Longmeadow, Massachusetts
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Calculus because I feared it for so long and survived.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
I had an internship with EPA, one with Merrill Lynch, and a summer position with Enviroscience Consultants.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
My wife, a former Aquaculture student, and all the ENRE (Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Department) staff.
Where do you live? Great Island

Name: Dan Buttner
Email: dbut3813@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: Landscape Architecture
Hometown: Bath, ME
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Arboriculture with Dr. Brian Maynard. This class is a hands-on experience pertaining to tree work. A great class that is a little out of the norm.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
I have done an internship at Kinney Azalea Gardens with Dr. Sue Gordon. Also I have done an internship with John Manchester L.A.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
Dr. Sue Gordon. She has helped me with anything I've needed. She will go out of her way to help a student.
Where to you live? Narragansett Pier

Name: Heather Khader
Major: Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietetics option
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
Nutrition Assessment (NFS 443). It was taught by Dr. Caldwell, who is my favorite professor at URI. She is extremely knowledgeable and a wonderful teacher. The class taught me a lot of useful hands-on information and skills to use when I am a dietitian.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
Some of my classes involved hands-on experience through volunteering. I have worked for a few professors in the Nutrition Department. I worked at South County Hospital as a diet tech through Cathy English's (NFS professor) recommendation.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
Most of my professors from the Nutrition Department (Dr. Caldwell, Dr. English, Dr. Fey-Yensan, and Linda Sebelia) because they are all very interested in helping students succeed in the field of dietetics and nutrition.
Where to you live? Graduate Village

Name: Amy Capalbo
Email: acapalbo@hotmail.com
Major: Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietetics option
Hometown: Ashaway, RI
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
My favorite class would have to be my most time consuming, NFS 458, Nutrition Education. The class is AMAZING; it covers so many different forms of putting out information and teaching people!
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
In NFS 394 & 395, I was required to volunteer 10 hours/semester at a nursery school/daycare facility and at the Rhode Island Community Foodbank. In NFS 337, Food Science, each week we made a different food product and compared how different ingredients substitutions affected them. In NFS 443, Nutrition Assessment, we practiced with and used different body anthropometric measurement tools.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
The person who has been most helpful to me at URI has been Cathy English. She is an excellent professor, has been my advisor since University College, and continues to help me on a daily basis to be ready for post-graduate even though she is on sabbatical.
Where to you live? Point Judith

Name: Adam Memon
Email: amem3384@postoffice.uri.edu
Major: CELS Undeclared
Hometown: Providence, RI
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
NRS 100 was my favorite class at URI because it challenges students to objectively think about human resource use pertaining to the environment. Dr. Husband's open teaching style promoted thought, and created a very enjoyable, effective learning atmosphere - he is an incredible teacher.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
During the summer of 2002 I had a Coastal Fellows internship: I worked on a field research team collected nymphal deer ticks for Lyme Disease testing for Dr. Mather's ongoing statewide public health project, tracking Lyme Disease in RI. Toward the end of the summer and into the fall, I had worked for Dr. Mather trapping small rodents in RI for babesiosis testing. I am interning with Dr. Mather's associate Dr. Tsuomuto Takeda culturing green monkey liver cells for West Nile Virus testing.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
I believe I have succeeded in the quest to discover my interests and narrow down my major, which was my original goal coming to URI. Every teacher or person that has influenced me has helped me do this; the CELS Office of Student Programs and Academic Outreach, and most CELS employees and staff have been INCREDIBLY helpful and have created a small-college atmosphere.
Where do you live? I live down-the-line on Indian Lake.

Name: Adam
Major: Environmental Science & Management
Hometown: Poland, Ohio
Favorite class here at URI? Why?
The honors colloquium on Sustainability was my favorite class because it provided a different type of course, outside the traditional classroom setting. It involved going to lectures given once a week by distinguished scholars in environmental, economic and design disciplines. These lecturers were on the cutting edge of their field, insight that you just don't get from books. On occasion, students had the opportunity to have a delicious dinner at a local restaurant with the guest lecturer - not a bad perk for class.
Hands-on experience you've had at URI
My entire college experience has involved hands-on learning. Even my introductory CELS classes embody some component of interactive learning. I also participated in the Coastal Fellows Program the last 2 years. In that Program, I was given the opportunity to engage in applied research related to the coast. It was due to these types of educational experiences that more and more doors are opening for me.
Who at URI has helped you to be successful? How?
The ladies in the Office of Student Programs and Academic Outreach are the single greatest influence in my success here at URI. They provided me the opportunity to get to know my professors and at a large university like URI these contacts make a big difference. They are always willing to go out of their way to help you with close to anything if you just ask. This is not to mention the frequent array of snacks and baked goods you will often find in the Student Lounge at Woodward Hall.
Where do you live? Down-the-line in New Eastward Look.

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