Recent Graduates

Elizabeth Scott, M.A. ENST '11

Elizabeth Scott, M.A. ENST '11

I began my freshman year at USC as a Biology major. However, I soon realized that Environmental Studies was my perfect path. I still took intensive biology courses, but I also learned about alternative energy, air and water processes, politics, and even marine spatial planning.

 

During my junior year, I developed a course plan for a Progressive Masters Degree and was able to transition seamlessly into a graduate program, while still feeling challenged and excited by the things I learned each day.

 

My ENST experiences include working in Australia as a field technician on a National Science Foundation research project and a directed research project comparing rapid methods of testing beach water quality with the slower traditional methods. My hands-on experiences with real research projects were invaluable as I began formulating more solid objectives for my future. I now am a research technician with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project.'

 

 

 

The USC Environmental Studies Program offers unrivaled opportunities to learn about environmental issues first hand, to work in teams to accomplish specific, often scientific, goals, and to explore the world.


Jennah Caster, B.S. ENST '11

Jennah Caster, B.S. ENST '11

Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, I graduated in Spring 2011 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies, with a concentration in Oceans, Life and People, and a minor in Digital Media-Based Imaging from the Roski School of Fine Arts.

 

I returned to South Florida to attend the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, where I am completing a Master of Professional Science in Marine Affairs and Policy, with a concentration in Marine Conservation.

 

While at USC I took advantage of every unique opportunity that was available to Environmental Studies students. I studied abroad in Queensland, Australia for a semester and I participated in the experimental block semester, which allowed me to spend a month living at the Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island. While on Catalina I completed an AAUS scientific research diving certification. This certification, along with my previous credentials as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, allowed me to attend and assist with the first ENST "Problems Without Passports" course to Guam and Palau.

 

Not only was I afforded incredible opportunities at USC, but I also made life long friends. We studied, lived, and traveled with one another. Attending USC for my undergraduate degree was the best decision I could have made. 


Sarah Wescott, B.A. ENST '11, M.A. ENST '12

Sarah Wescott, B.A. ENST '11, M.A. ENST '12

A Southern California native, I came into USC with no major and little direction - frankly, I was interested in too many things to decide. Once I discovered the Environmental Studies program, though, I knew it would be a perfect fit. The interdisciplinary nature of the program allowed me to study a wide range of topics: architecture, politics, biology, geology, social sciences, and planning, all while providing me with ample opportunity to get out in the field for some hands-on learning.

 

Part of the group of students participating in a block-style semester in Spring 2010, I  lived at the Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island for a month where I completed a directed research project on biodiversity and the threat level of invasive plant species between different habitats. I also traveled to Belize for the "Problems Without Passports" course studying the role of the environment in the collapse of the Ancient Mayan civilization with four fellow students. This course was truly a once in a lifetime experience - that is, until I was asked to come back the following year to assist Dr. Collins, since the course had grown so popular that student enrollment had nearly quadrupled!

 

I am currently an Environmental Studies Master's student through the Progressive Degree Program, which allows students to complete both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in five years. As I finish my final year, my focus has been streamlined toward sustainable urban planning, which I hope to pursue as a future career.



  • Dr. James Haw
  • Director
  • Environmental Studies Program
  • Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
  • Social Sciences Building (SOS) B15
  • 3502Trousdale Parkway
  • University of Southern California
  • Los Angeles, California 90089-0036