Let me introduce myself- My name is Marissa Verdi. I am currently a sophomore at Canisius College pursuing an undergraduate degree in biology. I was not always a bio major, in fact I was a digital media arts major all of last year until I had a life altering experience. Okay- I mean it was not as dramatic as I just made it sound. More of a reality check. I had realized after seeing my professors' enthusiasm and passion for the subjects they preach that I completely lacked any zeal for computers and design. I was in the major for two reasons.
1. My uncle is a graphic designer and was pretty successful until he got laid off over a year ago.
2. I thought DMA would be easy.
I came to the conclusion shortly after spring semester began that I wanted out of DMA; what I thought I wanted to do as a naive senior in high school had changed.
However, the odd thing was- I knew exactly what I wanted to switch my major to. A total epiphany moment occurred when I decided I wanted to become an entomologist.
Entomology- The Scientific Science of Insects
Just even saying the word makes my mouth muscles twitch to smile because it is absolutely what I want to do. As a child- my first grade teacher asked us to write down what job we wanted to have when we grew up. I had three in mind.
1. Cashier
2. Waitress
3. A job no one else has
Well- I've accomplished having the first two jobs, but the third is an interesting one. I knew even fifteen years ago that I did not want some job behind a cubicle, where a suit would need to be worn, and a briefcase purchased. I have always tried to be uniquely myself.
But why entomology?
I have travelled to Costa Rica twice- once in 10th grade, the other time senior year and that is where my appreciation for conservation began to cultivate. When I returned back home the second time (senior year)- I came back to school to my 7:30 am AP Biology class to find a new assignment on my desk. We were to catch, pin, and identify 10 insects and write a small paragraph summary about each specimen. By the time the project was due I had caught 25 insects- some of which I hunted for in the early morning hours to even going on adventures chasing moths and dragon flies for hours at a time. I loved the project. However, It was not until I came to college that the thought of even tackling entomology crossed my radar.
I have recently come to the conclusion that I will go on to graduate school for entomology and continue my education to get my ph.D. With entomology I would absolutely love to explore the forensic side and use insects to determine time/cause of death in murder cases like on television shows! Unfortunately for me my chemistry skills = nonexistent and I would not be happy being in a laboratory all day. That is why I think I want to endeavor in environmental entomology. I want to be one of the leading ladies to discover why our bee colony numbers are dwindling down to almost non existent, create alternatives to using harmful pesticides in the world war battle of invasive species vs our native species of plants, animals, and vegetation, and I want to investigate more into the deadly diseases transferred to humans through insect vectors.
Enough about what I want to do with my life....here are some other fun facts about myself:
Activities I am involved in on campus:
Vice President and Co-Captain of the Club Field Hockey Team
Sophomore Senator
Rifle Team
Orientation Leader
Hometown: Webster, NY
Favorite Food: All dairy, specifically- cheese
Favorite Animal: a woodchuck
Favorite Insect(s): bees, beetles, & moths
If I could bring back an extinct species what would it be: Dinosaurs
If I could spend a whole day with someone who would I pick: My dog
What I hope to get out of this blog: a clearer understanding of our relationship with the environment and to witness the changing of a season unlike any other
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