Eliza Ruel

Kennebunk, Maine

What has been your favorite class at COA? Why?
My favorite class was Femininity and Masculinity go to School: Gender, Power & Education with Bonnie Tai because it shook up my world view and nurtured my growing interest in anthropology. In ten weeks I examined the power of the media, conducted an in-depth literature review, and did a service learning project at a local daycare. Presenting a final project and writing a short story allowed me to reflect on the great breadth of topics we covered.

What classes have you taken at COA?
Marine Biology
Human Ecology Core Course
Geographic Information Systems I: Foundations & Applications
Femininity and Masculinity go to School: Gender, Power & Education
Biology I
Beyond Relativism: Negotiating Ethics in the 21st Century
Molecular Evolutionary Genetics
Biology II: Form and Function
Left, Right and Future: Alternative Political Philosophies
Popular Psychology

What was your favorite lesson at COA? Why?
My favorite lesson changes weekly - daily, even. Every conversation I have with faculty, staff and fellow students seem to feed into the next - as do lectures, discussions and projects.

Do you work on or off campus? If yes, where?
I work on campus as a faculty assistant to Jamie McKown.

What do you see yourself doing after COA?
Integrating my ever evolving knowledge of biology, anthropology, economics and policy.

What is happiness to you?
Grass, dirt, and/or sand under my feet, good food to fill my belly and good conversation to fill my mind. A view of the ocean ain't bad, either.

What is one of your favorite childhood memories?
Building dribble sandcastles on the beach

What do you like to do when you're not doing school work?
Gaze at the ocean from my window or from the lawn or from a trail in Acadia. I have long conversations with friends in TAB, cook interesting meals on weekends, and do projects for Campus Committee for Sustainability (CCS).

What is/are your favorite flower(s)?
I love the fragrance of lilacs on campus and will always have a soft spot for hardy dandelions.

What is the motto you like to live by?
"If you examine with care, you will see that it is beautiful."

Why did you choose to come to COA?
Coming from a coastal town, I was drawn to COA's seaside campus. I also wanted to be part of a community where I would be encouraged to explore and integrate my many interests. I didn't want my major to restrict my future endeavors.

What do you like to study?
Relationships between biology and culture

What do people say is your most marked characteristic?
analytic (confirmed by the fact that I questioned my use of the word)

What talent do you wish you had?
I wish I could sing [in tune].

What is your least favorite spice?
thyme