{"id":2533,"date":"2024-05-08T08:28:38","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T15:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2533"},"modified":"2024-09-24T16:11:08","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T23:11:08","slug":"black-excellence-in-stem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/black-excellence-in-stem\/","title":{"rendered":"Zoology senior showcases Black excellence in STEM"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h2>\n

Leveraging online courses for success in zoology<\/h2>\n
Editor’s note:<\/strong> This article was originally published in IMPACT Magazine<\/a> by Oregon State University’s College of Science. It has been updated to include more information about the subject’s online learning experiences.<\/div>\n

As children, most of us were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. Quipping dreams of ballerinas, firefighters, doctors or mythical characters \u2014 how many of us actually pursued them?<\/p>\n

Camrie Smith always said she wanted to work with animals. And it stuck.<\/p>\n

Smith chose Oregon State University for her undergraduate education because of its excellent zoology bachelor\u2019s program.<\/a> The degree offers scientific training in the diversity, organismal biology, ecology and evolution of animals. Housed in the integrative biology department at the College of Science<\/a>, it is the only zoology program in Oregon. Its students benefit from electives like animal behavior and cognition, offered both via Oregon State\u2019s Ecampus online program and on the Corvallis campus.<\/p>\n

This collaborative approach to science education is why Oregon State\u2019s many science entities are known simply as, \u201cTeam Science.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Camrie

Camrie first volunteered, then interned at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation Center in Grants Pass, Oregon. Her interest in large carnivores began early in her life.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI am most proud of staying on course and doing what I have always planned on and wanted to do,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI feel like it\u2019s easy to lose track of goals due to the overwhelming decisions that need to be made but I stayed on course.\u201d<\/p>\n

That course continues as Smith wraps up her remaining term at Oregon State with an experiential learning trip abroad to work at an animal and owl sanctuary in South Africa. After that? She sees herself pursuing the rehabilitation and conservation of large carnivores, the work she\u2019s most passionate about.<\/p>\n

Making her zoology degree pack a punch<\/h3>\n

Smith attributes her ability to stay on track, in part, to the flexibility of online courses delivered through Oregon State Ecampus as she pursues each of her exciting opportunities. For example, her South Africa trip wouldn\u2019t be possible without Ecampus classes \u2014 she\u2019s able to go where life takes her, while still benefiting from high-quality learning experiences and working toward her zoology degree.<\/p>\n

And those online courses? They\u2019re among the most diverse that Smith has experienced at Oregon State.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my favorite things about Ecampus courses is the diversity of people who are enrolled and learning about their experiences. It was touching to hear my peers\u2019 stories through discussion posts \u2014 we don\u2019t do that in in-person courses,\u201d says Smith.<\/p>\n

Black excellence in STEM<\/h3>\n

\u201cBeing a Black woman in STEM is a big part of my college identity,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThat would have been a lot less possible only 100 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

The National Science Foundation estimates that Black women only make up around 2% of the STEM workforce, due in part to issues of underrepresentation and systemic problems. But Smith is a scientist determined to achieve her dreams.<\/p>\n

\"Camrie

Camrie is working with animals even off the clock. She began riding horses around the age of 10. Now she’s a member and officer of the Oregon State University Hunter-Jumper Equestrian Team. She has been a member since 2022 and an officer since 2023.<\/p><\/div>\n

She started volunteering at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center in southern Oregon when she was still in high school to gain experience. The connections she made there led to an internship between her first and second years at Oregon State.<\/p>\n

\"In

Volunteer and internship work at Wildlife Images provided Camrie with animal handling and rehabilitation experience in addition to important career connections.<\/p><\/div>\n

Smith got firsthand experience of what animal rehabilitation looks like at Wildlife Images. She recalls how it felt to be a part of the rehabilitation and release of a Red-tailed Hawk.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see them heal each step of the way is what I\u2019m passionate about. It made me want to do that for large animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

That experience, coupled with her tenacity, landed her a job at Reid Veterinary Hospital in Albany, Oregon as a veterinary technician the following year. She was quickly recognized as a reliable, experienced technician and asked to assist in the surgical department.<\/p>\n

\"Camrie

Veterinary technician work adds to Camrie’s skillset as a zoologist.<\/p><\/div>\n

Bolstering both her education and the resume she\u2019ll take with her into the workforce as she looks to the future, Smith\u2019s approach to science during these years embodied Oregon State\u2019s motto: Don\u2019t just study science. Do science.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been one of the most exciting times of my life,\u201d Smith said of her undergraduate experience at Oregon State. She speaks highly of the advisors and professors she encountered during her journey who were committed to her success, saying \u201cmy decision to attend Oregon State is one of the best decisions I\u2019ve ever made.\u201d<\/p>\n

True to the way she\u2019s chased her zoological dreams from the outset, when asked what advice she would give to future undergraduates considering Oregon State, she said, \u201cJust go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Oregon State University Ecampus delivers more than 100 degrees, programs and microcredentials online, including zoology and many other related programs.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Explore online science degrees<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Camrie Smith has spent her life dreaming of working with animals. Now, with the help of her Oregon State degree in zoology and the flexibility of online courses through Ecampus, she’s making it happen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":2541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,677,8],"tags":[159,638],"class_list":["post-2533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-college-of-science","tag-conservation-and-natural-sciences"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Camrie-Smith.jpg?fit=1240%2C1110&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-ER","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1210,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/zoology-online-bachelors-degree\/","url_meta":{"origin":2533,"position":0},"title":"Oregon State brings its zoology expertise online with first-of-its-kind bachelor\u2019s degree","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"June 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University has launched the nation\u2019s first\u00a0online bachelor\u2019s degree program in zoology, combining OSU's expertise in the life sciences with its industry-leading work in online education to provide students with a solid foundation in the biological sciences at all levels.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Beaver swimming","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Zoology-hero-image-1280x550.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Zoology-hero-image-1280x550.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Zoology-hero-image-1280x550.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Zoology-hero-image-1280x550.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Zoology-hero-image-1280x550.jpg?fit=1200%2C516&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2573,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/zoology-graduate-thrives-online-samantha-crockett\/","url_meta":{"origin":2533,"position":1},"title":"Oregon State zoology graduate thrives online with OSU Ecampus","author":"Tom Henderson","date":"June 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Encouraging professors and hands-on work helped Samantha Crockett expand her horizons in animal behavior, conservation, ecology and more in Oregon State's online zoology bachelor's degree program.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A smiling woman stands outside in front of a large green bush.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Samantha-Crockett-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Samantha-Crockett-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Samantha-Crockett-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Samantha-Crockett-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1731,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/student-clubs-adrian-gonzalez\/","url_meta":{"origin":2533,"position":2},"title":"Student clubs create a sense of belonging for Oregon State\u2019s distance learners","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"April 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Nearly 100 student-led clubs and organizations are open to Oregon State's online learners. 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