Ari Telzerow ’22

Why UNE

[While I was] researching schools with strong marine and environmental programs, UNE came up at the top of the list because of its diverse marine curriculum with so many fields to focus on. I’ve always known that I wanted to be involved with the environment and ocean. That’s been where my passion has been since I was young. The professors and advisors at UNE go above and beyond to wholeheartedly support students.

There’s an awesome intro to beekeeping class here at UNE where we learn about the history of bee biology, hives, and locations. It’s really cool to see the bees in action through our beehives on campus.

Beyond the Classroom

I’ve been a member of the Earth’s Eco Club since my freshman year and I’m now the president. Through this club, we’ve been able to work closely with UNE’s Office of Sustainability and its staff. It’s been really nice to have such a collaborative staff advisor from School of Marine and Environmental Programs (SMEP) to share our ideas, concerns, and projects. Through this group, we are able to make on-campus environmental change happen.

The Clean Seas kiosk at Freddy Beach, which is a self-serve beach clean up station, was something our group was able to partner with the sustainability office on. The kiosk stores gloves and garbage bags for [students and the public] to have easy access and promote the normalcy of clean ups.

I also really loved the Switch and Ditch project held at the end of last semester. When people were moving out of their dorms, we had boxes where people could put anything that they didn’t want in the lobby. We basically made it into a thrift shop so people weren’t just throwing things away. Our club [and the sustainability office] really wanted to focus on that reusing aspect of reduce, reuse, and recycle.

I’m really proud to say that I’ve been involved with the sustainability office. It’s really rewarding.