Lauren Trexler is a senior from Baltimore, MD. She is an aspiring conservation biologist who hopes to pursue a career that allows her to work with communities to restore and protect native biodiversity. While she cares deeply for all of the natural world, her experiences have guided her towards focusing on avian conservation. She plans to complete a graduate program after gaining more experience in the conservation field.
AJ DiFranco is a student at St. Lawrence University in the graduating class of 2028. He is from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia), and plans on majoring in Conservation Biology at SLU. He is interested in wildlife conservation and plans to utilize his experience in natural lands management, community education, and animal care to help research and conserve our planet's unique wildlife.
My name is Margaret Dougher. I am a student at St. Lawrence University, class of 2026. I am majoring in Conservation Biology with a minor in political science (government). My academic interests center on wildlife conservation and animal care with a particular interest in rehabilitation. Here on campus I am a Lead Admissions Ambassador and a 4 year member of the St. Lawrence Women's basketball team. Outside of studying, I love to listen to music, spend time with my friends, and stay active.
My name is Violet Bisset and I am currently a junior at St. Lawrence University. I am majoring in Conservation Biology and minoring in Geology. On campus, I am a member of the women's rowing team, student president of the tree campus committee, secretary of the SLU birding club, and a member of the humane society. I love getting off campus to go on hikes in the Adirondacks, and am a fan of anything outdoors. I hope to pursue a career in conservation.
Peyton Robbins drone footage.
Water chestnut invasion at Lisbon Creek off of the Oswegatchie River in Heuvelton, NY.
Peyton Robbins drone footage.
Close up of a mat of water chestnut growing on the Oswegatchie River, Heuvelton, NY.
Peyton Robbins '26 is a SLU student majoring in Conservation Biology and minoring in Art and Art History along with Chemistry. As with the major, Peyton enjoys being outdoors and is fascinated with the various biological studies pertaining to it. He also likes drawing, painting, and isn't afraid of lab work. In the Summer of 2025 he did a research project on the effects of invasive water chestnut (Trapa natans) on on fish, plants, invertebrates, and overall water quality in the Oswegatchie River at Heuvelton, Black Lake, and the St. Lawrence River.
Jess Harman will be graduating in the Class of 2027. She chose bats as her subject of focus for her SLU fellowship because she has found their conservation fascinating ever since reading Merlin Tuttle's "The Secret Lives of Bats" at age 11 (and over and over again). She decided to study them via audio recording due to her interest in audio projects as an aspiring dual Conservation Biology and Music major. She wants to continue doing projects relating to bats throughout her time at St. Lawrence University and attend grad school.
Liz Anderson, Class of 2026, is a conservation biology major and anthropology minor from Andover, Massachusetts. On campus, she is a Digital Media Intern for Nature Up North, co-president of the Environmental Action Organization, and president of Seed to Table club. During her time at St. Lawrence, she is grateful to have had the opportunity to spend a year living on the Sustainability Farm, as well as to study abroad in Ecuador in June 2024. These experiences broadened her understanding of environmental systems and tropical ecologies.
Maura Richards ’26 is a Conservation Biology major and a Statistics minor, driven by a lifelong passion for bird conservation. As a local from Colton, New York, she has researched many species native to Upstate NY, both in and out of the field. On campus, she is part of the Greenhouse, a themed residence focused on sustainability and local food systems. She is also grateful to have had the chance to study abroad through St. Lawrence in both the United Kingdom (Fall ’22) and New Zealand (Fall ’24), which has broadened her view on global approaches to conservation.
My name is Maggie Layman, and I am from West Chester, Pennsylvania. I am in the Class of 2026 at St. Lawrence University, where I am majoring in Conservation Biology, minoring in Statistics and Outdoor Studies, and play for the Varsity Volleyball Team. I am passionate about conservation and ecology and plan to pursue a research-based career dedicated to studying and preserving systems involving wildlife, aquatic habitats, or forests. When I’m not studying the natural world, you will likely still find me outside walking, hiking, biking, and more.
My name is August Kotula '24, I am a conservation biology major and statistics minor from Peterborough, NH. As a con-bio major, I have a strong interest in environmental conservation and sustainable recreation.
Alexis Parent ‘25 is a Conservation Biology major with a minor in Creative Writing interested in environmental sustainability, specifically concerned with regenerative agriculture systems and reconnecting people back to the food they eat.
Growing up I always had a love for nature, and spent much of my time as a kid playing outside. Ever since I was young, I’ve had a particularly affinity for the less appreciated creatures of the world: bugs, toads, snakes, etc. It was always my goal to convince those around me that these animals were to be admired, not feared. It’s a goal I still hold onto today, and strive to achieve through education and exposure.
In school I’ve always gravitated towards science and art, gaining experience with scientific research through St. Lawrence University.
Hello, my name is William (Will) de Chabert and I am a proposed double major in Conservation Biology and Business in the Liberal Arts with a minor in African Studies. I am currently entering my sophomore year at St. Lawrence University. I will be studying abroad during the 2023 fall semester as part of the Kenya Semester Program (KSP). When not occupied by my studies you can find me playing tennis as part of the men's varsity team or in the reptile and amphibian animal and retirement home working to provide animal care under Dr. Hoffman.
My name is Jane and I just recently graduated from St. Lawrence University in May 2023 with a major in conservation biology and minor in public health. I chose this area of study because I am passionate about the study of One Health, which highlights the intersections between human, animal, and ecosystem health. I was first introduced to the study of One Health during an internship at a wildlife clinic in 2020. In 2021, I took a class called "Food from the Sea" which allowed me to explore topics related to ocean conservation.
Marlia Richer '25 is a Conservation Biology and Hispanic Studies double-major originally from western New Hampshire. She is an active member of the Native American Student Alliance and KSLU Student Radio, and is also on the Nordic Ski Team.
My name is Drew Racioppa, a senior at St Lawrence University. In my 21 years of life, I have really come to value the education of experience. I realized as a teenager that to help change the world, you have to see it. You have to feel the water, see the birds, learn the language, bake the bread. I became obsessed with communication and how people from different cultures interact. I have studied mangroves in Kenya with the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute and worked on the highest continuous peak planting native mamane trees on Mauna Kea in Hawai'i.
Julia is a student in the class of 2023 at SLU and is completing her studies as a Conservation Biology major and German Studies minor. She enjoys participating in the training and application of wildlife detector dogs as survey technique in the field. Her interest in working with dogs melded well with her interest in Herpetology and led to the generation of a pilot research project using a detector dog to locate threatened species of turtles.
Kayla Edmunds '21 majored in Conservation Biology and minored in African Studies. She is particularly interested in Entomology and completed a Senior Year Experience in Fall '20 on the phenology and dispersal of Proctacanthus robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) in St. Lawrence County. Her SLU Fellowship builds upon this experience while studying Lasiopogon currani, another unique robber fly species.
