Build Your Skills on Beautiful Catalina Island

Want to learn new skills or gain more confidence for internships and job opportunities? Looking for more real-world experience in the field, lab, or workplace? We have a workshop for you! 

Through our Weekend Workshop series for undergraduate students, you can experience our Catalina Island campus while developing valuable skills that will make you a stronger candidate for internships and jobs. Each fast-paced, 2- or 3-day course covers a specific theme focused on lab, field, or workplace activities in the environment and sustainability.

Upcoming Workshop: Marine Ecology & Oceanography Weekend Workshop (Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 8)

Applications for this Weekend Workshop are now closed. Complete the interest form below to stay informed and be notified about the next application cycle.

Complete the interest form

How it Works

Our new Weekend Workshops are designed to provide first or early field, lab, and professional development opportunities for USC undergraduate students.

All courses in the Weekend Workshop series include a 2- or 3-day stay at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC), the Wrigley Institute’s satellite campus on Catalina Island. Students complete a fast-paced, activity-packed schedule that includes hands-on experiences in the field and/or lab.

If you have questions about the Weekend Workshop Toolkit series, please contact Wrigley Institute Education Coordinator Meghan MacGregor.

a student wearing a yellow t-shirt, black shorts, a black baseball cap, and sunglasses stands knee-deep in clear ocean water while holding a scientific sampling bottle

Marine Ecology & Oceanography Weekend Workshop

Join us for a hands-on weekend of marine science at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island. This immersive workshop is designed for undergraduates who want real-world experience in marine ecology—no prior field experience required.

Students will travel by boat to Catalina Island, stay on campus, and spend the weekend in the field. Activities include snorkeling in a Marine Protected Area, kayak-based marine ecology observations, plankton sampling and microscopy, and basic oceanography and water quality measurements. The workshop emphasizes observation, exploration, and understanding how marine ecosystems are studied and protected.

This program is ideal for students interested in marine biology, environmental science, ecology, conservation, or anyone who just wants to spend a weekend learning outdoors in a stunning marine environment.

Dates: Friday, March 6 – Sunday, March 8

Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2026

Complete the interest form

  • Cost: $150

    What’s Included:

    • All transportation to the Catalina Island from USC’s UPC campus
    • On-campus dorm-style housing at the Wrigley Marine Science Center
    • Meals during the workshop
    • Use of all field and lab equipment

     

    • Snorkel in kelp forest ecosystems within a Marine Protected Area
    • Kayak through nearshore habitats while conducting ecological observations
    • Collect and examine plankton
    • Learn basic oceanography and water quality techniques
    • Explore marine conservation and career pathways in an informal setting

    This is an active, fast-paced weekend with time spent both in and out of the water. Expect to get a little salty, learn a lot, and leave with a better sense of what marine field science looks like!

    • USC undergraduate students (all majors welcome)

    • No prior snorkeling, kayaking, or field experience required