Sophia Madeline, a junior majoring in evolution and ecology and minoring in Spanish, studied abroad on the The School for Field Studies – Marine Megafauna program in South Caicos in Summer 2019.

For my STEP Signature Project, I studied abroad through The School for Field Studies in the course "Marine Megafauna Ecology and Conservation." For one month, I researched many different animals, including rock iguanas, eagle rays, sea turtles, and sharks. I was also given the opportunity to enhance my diving skills and experience. My perspective of myself and the world has changed because of this wonderful adventure. I had witnessed an entirely different culture when I lived on South Caicos. I could not believe how many different values people can hold in different places throughout the world. This experience has only made me want to travel the world more. I have learned that I am able to keep calm and adapt when a situation does not go my way. Through this program, I feel that I have genuinely grown academically, culturally, and personally.