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Graduate wouldn't trade his CNRE experience for anything

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Category: research Video duration: Graduate wouldn't trade his CNRE experience for anything
Transfer student Nathan Ferguson will graduate this spring from the College of Natural Resources and Environment, with dual majors in Wildlife Conservation and Fisheries Conservation with a human dimension's focus. "The level of involvement I've been able to get as an undergrad has been truly remarkable," said Ferguson.
I am a double-major with wildlife conservation and fisheries conservation or the human dimensions focus. Graduated high school is definitely an interesting ordeal just because I didn't know where else going. So I went to my local community college that probably switch between four or five different majors. I was interested in talking to some people there. Got it in my general biology class. It's a class I wasn't expecting to have. I was recommended to take this one professor Dr. Hammond. And ever since I got into his class, I saw the beauty and what this field of wildlife and fisheries can really take. And then started looking around for wildlife courses and with Dr. Hamburg coming up here in 2019. Years sort of helped me figure out that Virginia Tech is a great place for disagree. I came up and visited a couple of times and talked with them and talk to the bubble other wildlife professors and really saw the potential here and decided to make the transfer decision. This was the only school I decided to apply. Now I'm here and it's a road I wasn't expecting on taking, but I'm very glad I was able to take it. I met Dr. manual frame Pong and got involved with his lab. As I started getting work experience here, I started branching out. I joined lab with Dr. Scott Salem and entomology. That same summer. I also worked with Dr. King's daughter and her lab. Coming up here. I knew there are ways to get involved, but I hadn't no idea the level of involvement. I've been able to give it as an undergrad and has been truly remarkable. It's been a good way to get experience and research while also getting paid. So I don't have to worry about going and working at the Kroger on the weekends or after I get out of classes, I'm able to come out here, do what I love while building my resume and getting paid. It's it's the perfect world. Even though I'm at a university that's huge, the Wave Fish and Wildlife is built. It's very tight-knit. Lot of people know each other and it's truly just a warm environment. Coming from a small rural area. This is there a lot of people who may not agree. This is like a big city of me. Just being able to come up here and see all the diversity of people, all the diversity of things I can do. It's truly a different experience. And this experience, I wouldn't trade it for anything.