Thank You Letters



Emily Wivell

Program of Emphasis: Geology and Spanish

Hometown: Windsor, PA

High School: Red Lion Area Sr High School

Why I chose to attend Juniata: I guess you could say I had "that feeling" when I visited the campus. I was surprised by the genuine kindness shown by everyone on campus; the students, faculty, administration, facilities and Sodexo employees. The study abroad programs caught my eye, especially because they worked with the students to allow them to study in new places. I had also heard about the Biology department's excellent reputation.

Clubs and Organizations: Andrew Lawson Geological Society-Member for 2 years SCUBA-Memeber for 2 years

Travels Abroad: I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador for my entire junior year. It was and probably always will be one of the greatest experiences I have ever had/will have in my life. My group learned so much about the culture of Ecuador and how different the ways of life are in the Amazon, the Andes, the coast and the Galápagos. We traveled extensively throughout the country-most notably to the Yachana Lodge in the Amazon, three islands in the Galápagos and Peru. It was truly an incredible experience.

Research Participation: I worked with Dr. Ryan Mathur in the Geology Department this past summer on two separate projects, and I am continuing to work on these projects for the duration of the school year. The first project is funded by Penn State University and is titled Penn State Susquehanna Hills Critical Zone Observatory (SSHO). My role in this project is to analyze shales in the SSHO to determine the nature of the surrounding soils. The second project is titled Pebble Porphyry Deposit Research. I analyzed isotopic concentrations of Copper in surface water samples from mining sites in Alaska. This research will hopefully lead to a viable process by which new mining sites can be found and mining regulations can be monitored.

Most Interesting Class: Historical Geology is by the far the most interesting class I have taken this year. This class covers all of Earth history-literally-from the processes that created Earth 4.6 billion years ago until today. It has opened up a whole new way of thinking about the origin and complexity of life and why and how we have natural resources, such as oil and gas, available to us today.

Favorite Faculty Member: Sophomore year I decided to change my POE to Geology. I chose Dr. Ryan Mathur as my POE advisor and took several of his geology classes. He recommended that I study abroad for a year opposed to one semester, which made a huge, positive difference on my college education and experience. He is also my research advisor and is leading one of the projects I am working on, which is giving me a lot of experience in the field and opening up my future possibilities for graduate school.

Honors Received: Dean's List: Fall 2010 & Spring 2011

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