Emily Roush

Question #1: What inspired you to pursue the major you are in?

I have always loved being outdoors and being able to learn as much as possible about the environment. Initially, I was accepted into the Agricultural and Extension Education major in my senior year of high school. However, I realized that working outdoors to solve environmental problems such as acid mine drainage was more of my passion. I switched the summer before starting my journey at Penn State and am now an Environmental Resource Managment major.

Question #2: What has been the best part of your time in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences?

I have been able to get more hands-on experience and have the opportunity to do research. The other best part of my journey is making connections with the faculty and staff within the College of Agricultural Sciences, as well as the working professionals that engage with Penn State.

Question #3: What do you wish you would have known as a new student at Penn State?

As a first-generation college student, I wish I knew more about all the different programs to help students have an easier transition -- whether it is as a first-year student in college, a new transfer student to Penn State, or a student transitioning between Penn State campuses. When I transitioned from a Commonwealth campus to University Park, I was mostly taking smaller, major-specific courses but I still had a few larger classes to complete. Adapting to the learning environment in larger classes was difficult, so I chose to take those classes over the summer instead when the class size was smaller.