Sam Odell ’22

Environmental Science

Biography

After growing up in Wheaton, Illinois, and attending a local college, I transferred to Taylor in the January of my sophomore year (2020). At Taylor, I quickly developed friendships with classmates and professors alike. I graduated as an environmental science major with a concentration in biology in May of 2022. After graduation, I was accepted into the Masters of Wildlife Science program at Queensland University in Brisbane, Australia.

What were some of your most valuable experiences at Taylor?

I thoroughly enjoyed the Field Natural History course taught in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I also had excellent educational opportunities on campus. I assisted in caring for honeybees and restoration ecology projects like a prairie restoration. I also had an opportunity to participate in a wetland delineation in my Systems Ecology course. I received a lot of practical and applicable field experience as an environmental science student.

How did your classes or interactions with professors at Taylor impact your growth?

The relationships that I developed with my professors informed my perceptions of the field post school thus strengthening my desire to invest in classes and the vocation itself. As well as teaching me the finer aspects of the profession, they truly represented what it means to be a Christian in the sciences.

How can Taylor graduates use their unique Taylor education and its liberal arts foundational core as an asset in your discipline?

Foundational core aids in forming the ways young believers think about Christianity as a religion and their own personal faith. In terms of my field, it helped me apply my faith to my professional interests. Specifically, it allowed me to formulate my role as a steward of God's creation and its creatures.

What advice or encouragement could you provide for Taylor students in your vocational discipline?

Invest in your interests and seek opportunities based on those interests. Do not be afraid to focus your attention to specific fields such as biology, geology, sustainability, etc. It feels a lot less like hard work when you are studying a topic that you enjoy, even if it is difficult.