Emma Poppante, Class of 2015

My name is Emma Poppante and I am the newest freshman fellow here at Furman University! I am part of the engaged living ECOS program for freshman and I am a sustainability science major planning on a double major in environmental chemistry.

I grew up in Winston Salem, NC in the kind of family where we saved a turtle by the side of the road and turned it into a learning experience by hatching turtle eggs. Our other pets included hamsters, rabbits, fish, frogs, parakeets, cats and the newest member, a sheepadoodle puppy. My twin brother, younger brother, and I were always encouraged to explore nature whether it be examining mushrooms or ocean crabs. My first official scientific venture was an internship at Algaen Corp., a small local company focused on algae usage for nutrition and biofuel. There I evaluated the nutrient requirements and viability of different strains of algae using spectrometry.

Working with my microcosms at Algaen

I was the president of my high school environmental club and participated in “Green Campus”, a group of specifically selected students who researched and implemented new sustainable solutions and innovations at our school. Through this program, I widened my understanding of the issues affecting sustainability and was chosen for an internship with Keep Winston Salem Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, which focuses on litter prevention, waste reduction/recycling, and beautification through community efforts. I also played a key role on the planning committee for our city wide Earth Day Fair. I am still discovering the myriad of options available to me in my desire to create a greener, healthier society but my personal interests are in scientific research and development as well as sustainable businesses.

Working in Algaen's lab

Besides my passion for green living, I enjoy soccer, musical theatre, drama, accapella, poetry, penguins, owls, and a whole host of other random yet awesome things. I also enjoy watching TED talks (and highly encourage you to watch one today). I am an active member of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, and play on the women’s club soccer team, but most of all I’m crazy about Furman and can’t wait to jump into these next four years!

Will McCabe, Class of 2014

My name is Will McCabe, and I am a sophomore at Furman University from Baltimore, Maryland. I am currently pursuing a major in Earth and Environmental Science, and eventually I’ll be seeking a career in marine conservation or renewable energy.

I lived in Baltimore my whole life with my mom, dad, and older sister before making the transition to the south. In Baltimore I attended the Gilman School where I played baseball, attended FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians in Universities and Schools) meetings, and was the president of our high school’s Environmental Committee. I also worked for an electric car company called Altcar and volunteered at the National Aquarium in Baltimore as an exhibit guide in high school.

My passion for the environment and sustainable practices goes back to my childhood days during which I spent a lot of time in southern Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. Once a wonderful place where I spent countless summer days, the Bay has now become an area almost too unattractive and dangerous to swim due to the trash, jellyfish (thriving in the low-oxygenated water), and algae growth (increasing because of the nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from the local chicken farms). I’d like to intern or someday work for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to help restore the Bay to the amazing place I remember it being.

Along with my interests in sustainability, I also enjoy playing baseball, camping, hiking, traveling, and I am a huge Baltimore Ravens fan!

Landri Tripp, Class of 2013

My name is Landri Tripp, and I’m a junior at Furman University from Shelbyville, Kentucky.  I am a Spanish major, and I plan on going into the TESOL field (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

I was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1990.  Before my family (consisting of my father, mother, older brother, younger sister, and myself) settled down in Shelbyville, Kentucky, in 1997, we moved several times between Hot Springs, Arkansas; Omaha, Nebraska; and Louisville, Kentucky.  We did this in order to follow the different race meets of the thoroughbred race tracks across the country, as my father is an equine veterinarian.  In 2001, we bought a farm in Shelbyville, and my father now practices veterinary medicine at Churchill Downs in Louisville year-round.

My dad does some of the veterinary work for Rachel Alexandra, who is said to be one of the greatest racehorses of all time. Here is a picture of me with Rachel Alexandra right after she won the 2009 Kentucky Oaks!

On our family farm of about 150 acres, we raise beef cattle.  A few years back, my father and brother established Millstone Charolais, a purebred Charolais cattle operation.  My brother, who is currently working on his M.B.A. at Oklahoma State University and will attend veterinary school, showed market hogs throughout his middle school and high school years.  My younger sister, who will graduate from high school in 2011, also showed hogs for several years.  I, on the other hand, not being much of a pig fanatic, showed market lambs for three years in middle school and high school.  Additionally, we have grown several crops on the farm, including sod, soybeans, and corn.

My interest in sustainability stems from my farm roots.  On the farm, we practice agricultural sustainability through methods such as biological pest control, manure spreading, crop rotation, and stream bank erosion prevention.

Here is a picture that my sister, Lindsay, took of a new Charolais calf on the farm.

I enjoy traveling, snow skiing, fishing, and baking in my spare time, which I have found to be a rarity as a college student!

Caitlin Kelliher, Class of 2012

My name is Caitlin Kelliher, and I’m a senior at Furman University. I grew up in Ashby, a small rural town in north central Massachusetts and have lived there my whole life with my mother, father, and older brother. Growing up, my family owned a small agricultural business, Garden Solutions, for which I worked for about 8 years. We grew a variety of vegetables and herbs and sold them to local-area restaurants, and the surplus of our crop was donated to three local-area homeless shelters. Garden Solutions lasted until my brother and I were in high school, during which we attended boarding school and could not continue running the business.

My background with sustainable farming practices has definitely influenced my academic and extracurricular interests, especially here at Furman. It has also certainly sparked my love for eating locally and supporting local growers.

I’m currently double-majoring in Earth and Environmental Science and Asian Studies, and I live in the Chinese Language House. I work for Bell Tower Catering, and I am involved in Furman’s Environmental Action Group, Africa Rising, Furman’s Outdoor Club, and most recently, Furman’s Year of Global Citizenship committee. I love hiking, contradancing, volleyball and traveling, and I’m excited to say that Fiji will be the next check mark on my bucket list!

A photo of me bungee jumping 233 meters in Macau, China.

A photo of me on The Great Wall of China.

A photo of me at the peak of a mountain in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in Kenai, Alaska.