Juriel “Jay” Diaz ’26 at the W.K. Biological Station in Michigan
Elizabethtown College Environmental Science major Juriel “Jay” Diaz ’26 was recently awarded a travel opportunity by the Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS) program of the Ecological Society of America.
From April 27 through 30, Diaz joined a diverse group of 20 other undergraduate students from across the country on a field trip to the W.K. Biological Station in Michigan. Over this three-day exploration, Diaz was able to explore the famous biological field station, meet professional ecologists, conduct a research project with other students, and receive mentoring from SEEDS alumni and staff.
Diaz and other students also participated in discussions about how to break into the ecology field, as well as how to increase diversity in the profession, a topic that was of great interest to Diaz.
“I really enjoyed the discussion on how to increase diversity in the field, as I want to pursue a career that involves community outreach and educational programming in the future,” Diaz said. “I appreciated getting to learn about topics that are a vital part of my intended career.”
Etown has a local chapter of SEEDS, which seeks to provide underrepresented students with opportunities to engage in the environmental and ecological professions. Diaz is actively involved with Etown’s SEEDS club and has volunteered with the group by planting native plants and trees around campus.
About SEEDS
SEEDS is the flagship diversity program of the Ecological Society of America. Established in 1996, ESA SEEDS has primarily supported undergraduate students in their discovery of careers in ecology through field trips, research fellowships, leadership development, travel awards, and a campus chapter network.
