What Students Really Say About Farmington


Can you describe the Biology major at Farmington?
Well, the Biology major here is pretty broad. You can major in Environmental Science as well. I'm just a straight Biology major, though most of my electives are focused on environmental studies.

How about a favorite class in Biology?
Let's see, I took a winter term class, just this past winter, a Costa Rican travel course. It was a class where we traveled to Costa Rica — in the dead of winter — that combined Biology and Creative Writing, so it was really fun. One of the best.

Were you interested in biology before you came to Farmington?
 I've always been really interested in science and stuff, but I got hooked on biology in my sophomore year of high school. I always knew it was what I wanted to do.

What are some of the strengths of the Biology major at Farmington?
Oh, my goodness. First, I have to say that it’s an amazing program here. The Natural Sciences Department [which includes the Biology program] here is fairly small, but I think the faculty expect a lot and still keep things fun. I've been on national exchange to another school, Humboldt State University in California, and I didn't feel that the academic standards were as high there. I think we have very high standards at Farmington, and it’s reassuring to know you’re getting a really good education at a public university.

Have you taken a class that changed your views?
Not necessarily changed my view, but broaden my perspective — definitely. Choosing to take Political Science as my minor has helped me balance a lot of things. That’s not to say that we don't think about social issues in Biology, but it’s definitely helped create a balance between my major and my minor.

Do you feel Farmington is preparing you well?
Yes I do. I think I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people on different initiatives through work-study positions, classes, research and all that stuff. I think I've gained a lot of skills here, but I've made sure to take advantage of a lot of things on my own. If you keep an eyeball out for the things that are going on here, it definitely will prepare you very well for life after college.
 
Tell me about any outside-of-the classroom projects you've done in Biology.
The summer after my freshman year I was hired by Ron Butler [Professor of Biology] to work with him on a research project. He has done research for the Maine Damselfly and Dragonfly Survey, and he also does his own research in that field. He had a specific study that started that particular summer, and I worked for him collecting data. We're actually still working on analyzing that data, and working on our findings paper right now. Hopefully, our manuscript will be published after I graduate. I received Farmington’s Wilson Scholarship to conduct my research here.

What would you have liked to know before coming to Farmington?
When I got here, I’d never been to the school before. The first time I came here was for my class sign-up day. It was a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants decision to come to Farmington in the first place, but it took me no time to figure things out once I got here. I think knowing the dynamics of the school a bit better before I got here might have been nice, but I didn't seem to have any problem just jumping in.

What does a Liberal Arts education mean to you?
To me it means that everyone can agree to disagree. Here, you get exposed to all different perspectives and then you decide on your own perspective — what you think is best, and know that it’s okay that not everyone else thinks the same thing.

Before you came here, did you have an idea about what a Liberal Arts college was about?
I hadn't really though about it before. Coming from a pretty conservative area, this place was kind of like a breath of fresh air. I do understand that Farmington is very unique and special compared to a lot of other places around here. So, no, I didn't really have an idea but it was nice when I came here to see what it was like and be exposed to that.

Have you done any internships or held on-campus jobs?
Well, the dragonfly research position wasn't necessarily an internship because it was a paid position. I've also had other paid positions on campus, working with the Sustainable Campus Coalition here at Farmington. Right now, I'm taking a social accountability class where I work with Western Mountains Alliance, a non-profit group in town. I've worked with different campus committees like the Undergraduate Research Committee. I haven't had an unpaid internship, but I’ve done a lot of things that would be considered educational.

Have you been involved in any volunteer or community service projects?
Yes. I organized a salvage program where at the end of a semester everybody drops their unwanted dorm stuff off at different places around campus. Afterward, we donated everything to the local Abused Woman‘s Advocacy Project. I’ve worked with different community programs like that.

Have you had any professors here who’ve inspired you?
Definitely my professor and advisor, Ron Butler. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve worked for him doing research, and I’m still doing research for him. Dr. Barton [Drew Barton, Professor of Biology] too. Actually, a lot of the professors in the Natural Sciences Department have influenced me because I interact with them every day. Also, Valerie Huebner [executive Assistant to the President]. We worked together at Summer Experience where Valerie was the teacher and I was her assistant. We also worked together on the Sustainable Campus Coalition and other initiatives. I always feel comfortable going to Valerie if I want to start a project. She usually helps me out with it.

What makes somebody a good professor?
Good professors really want you to take advantage of as much as you can, and they help you and help you find resources. Not necessarily, nurturing you at every moment, but being available and knowledgeable in their field and willing to share with you.

Do you recall how you first found out about Farmington?
I had a friend who went to school here as a Biology major. She praised the Biology program up and down and I thought, “Let’s see, it’s a state school, and it’s five and half hours from home — that’s a good amount — and Farmington is cozy and nice.” So, that’s what attracted me to come here. Now, there seems to be a wave of people coming from my hometown. Maybe because they’ve heard such good things about Farmington, too.

When you were in high school, did you think Farmington had a good reputation?
From what I had heard, yeah, it had a really good reputation, but I didn’t know, specifically, which programs were good. I thought this part of Maine was really awesome. I still think it’s a really unique part of the state. I really enjoy it here. The western Maine region was really a definite plus.

What other colleges did you apply to?
Farmington was the only public school I applied to. I applied to Smith College, Oberlin College, and a college in Canada and another in Indiana — they were all private schools.

What made you finally chose Farmington?
To be completely honest, I realized that the private schools I was applying to were out of my price range. And my mother was really sad at the thought of me moving really far away. When I got accepted to Farmington, I thought about it, and tried to be reasonable about it. I was, like, “You know, Farmington’s probably a good idea.” And I’d heard good things about it. I think I made the right choice.

What were your first impressions when you got here?
I loved it. I thought the town, itself, was really cute. And I like doing outdoorsy things, so it was a perfect place. The school itself, I was impressed with the Biology program right away. I went to a residential high school, so it wasn’t such a big adjustment living away from home. I was fine when I first got here.

What did your parents think about Farmington?
Oh, they loved the school and they loved the town. Actually, they’ve talked about moving here. It’s funny. It’s small like my hometown, but a much more liberal setting with things that they’re more into. They definitely loved it. They love coming down here to visit me.

What do you like about the school now that you’ve been here awhile?
I like that I can initiate things on this campus and start projects and get people excited. I feel like I can really make a difference and if I can make a change on a smaller scale like here, it’s just going to prepare me all the better for when I graduate.

Did you come to Farmington because you like to ski or hike?
I don’t think that was part of my final decision, although I do like hiking. I don’t downhill ski, so I don’t head up to the ‘Loaf. But it’s definitely been one of the perks of going to school here. When I get out of class, I like to go snowshoeing or hiking, stuff like that.

Which residence halls have you lived in?
I lived in a bunch of different ones. I lived in Lockwood Hall my freshman year and I lived in Purington Hall and Black Hall. And I lived in Scott Hall when I was here for the Summer Experience program and I lived in Dakin Hall when I lived here during the past summer. I much preferred Purington and Black Halls over all the rest of them. Purington because it has character and it’s awesome, and Black Hall because it was a neat, independent living experience — much different than my experience living in the other dorms.

Do you participate in any campus events?
I still do and my younger sister, who also goes to school here, does as well. She’s involved in a lot of student clubs I‘m not involved in. There are always good speakers on campus, so I always go to that kind of stuff. A lot of time, my professors encourage us to go to things like that. I definitely still stay involved in campus activities.

Are you involved in anything else on campus?
I’m trying to get our school to participate in the Graduation Pledge Alliance project. It’s a nationwide network of colleges that ask their seniors to promise to be socially responsible after graduation. It’s designed to make people aware of their job choices when they leave college and how to create change in the workplace. I think it’s needed. That’s a side project I’ve been working on.

What do you do around here for fun?
Well, I have a lot of really great friends here. And I’m in a band called The Nectaroons. I go hiking a lot, too. Just normal stuff like that. This semester has been really busy, so I haven’t had a lot of free time.

What is your favorite part about being at Farmington?
I really love — it’s going to sound all warm and fuzzy — the whole community, not just the University, but the whole town just has this really great feeling to it. It makes me happy to be here. It’s just a very welcoming place. That’s my experience, but I’ve always felt welcomed, like I could contribute here.

What is your favorite memory about Farmington?
One of the most memorable ones is when I organized the salvage program. When it actually worked and was really successful, I just couldn’t believe it because I’d never organized anything like that in my life. I was just a sophomore but I got the whole campus to donate unwanted items and furniture. When we dropped the donations at the Abused Woman‘s Advocacy Project, they were so happy. It was really rewarding. That was probably one of my better memories.

What are some things the school does really well?
Farmington is really good at being honest with its students. I haven’t had an experience with other colleges that are quite so open about getting input from students. I think that’s an amazing characteristic of Farmington.

What can someone do with a Biology degree from Farmington?
Well, I have one friend who now works for the Chewonki Foundation where she runs nature education programs for children. She takes kids out on week-long hiking / science trips. I have another friend who works at the Mount Desert Island Biological Lab. And I know another friend who works for the Maine State Entomologist - she gets to play with bugs [laughs]. There’s a lot you can do with a degree in Biology.

So, where do you see yourself after you graduate?
I plan to go to med school. I actually want to move back to this area and start a practice here. Obviously, my Biology background is going to help me with that.