Humboldt State University

 

Humboldt State University Campus at night

While living in Northern California, I had the most wonderful time attending Humboldt State University.  As I mentioned before, I double majored in Marine Biology/Zoology with a minor in Wildlife Management.  The University is located in one of the most beautiful parts of California amongst Redwoods several miles from the Pacific.  It is not uncommon to hear of visits from wildlife to the campus.  Such animals spotted on campus have been cougars, raccoons, opossums and I believe I heard at one time a black bear.  For those individuals who want to attend a top notch university, especially majoring in the majors I studied, I would highly recommend this university.  It has exceptional faculty and challenging curriculum that teaches undergraduate research that is important to add on your curriculum vitae.  Below is some information I pulled off the HSU website regarding those departments that I was most affiliated with.

My friend and wildlife major, Stacy Gustin, holding a baby goose.

Arcata is home to Humboldt State University (HSU). I had the opportunity to attend this outstanding university.  It's biology and wildlife departments are outstanding.  As far as student performance, Wildlife students compete annually in the national quiz bowl against large research universities and have won six national championships during the last eight years. The undergraduate program is nationally recognized, as evidenced by the outstanding record of  the conclave team, which has won 21 out of the 33 years it has competed in a regional competition with schools from other western universities.  This competition is against those research universities throughout the United States. The Wildlife faculty is comprised of ornithologists and mammalogists with expertise in population ecology, animal behavior, wildlife-habitat relationships, disease, environmental ethics, animal energetics and community ecology. HSU’s Wildlife graduates do well as: wildlife biologists, wildlife refuge mangers, biological consultants, park rangers, conservation scientists, fish and game wardens, forestry technicians, range conservationists, and agricultural planners.

Daughter Jennifer spending time at the marine lab

Within the biology department, those who are interested in majoring in Marine Biology, the University has made the commitment to provide for state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories.  It has its own Marine Lab and its own Research Vessel, the Coral Sea.

Research Vessel - The Coral Sea

The Coral Sea is the only fully equipped marine lab and a true oceanic research vessel (the 90-foot RV Coral Sea) dedicated solely to undergraduate research and ocean-going vessel in America dedicated to undergraduate research.  I had the opportunity to spend many hours on this vessel doing field studies in both marine biology and marine ornithology. Humboldt State offers the only undergraduate oceanography program in California.

HSU's unique setting, just minutes away from ocean, estuary and lagoon habitat, provides students with unlimited research opportunities. Programs in geology, fisheries, mariculture, biology and related sciences involve undergraduates in the kind of research that many universities reserve for master's and Ph.D. students.
Because students learn best by doing, Humboldt State's dedication to hands-on learning gives the students the skills and real-world experiences they need to succeed in life after college.

HSU is situated within a pristine natural environment has all the important ingredients for exceptional student achievement that makes graduates highly sought after for positions in governmental agencies, graduate schools and in the private sector. In addition, there are facilities, such as fish hatcheries, botanical conservatories, greenhouse and more.

Finally, HSU has faculty mentoring with an emphasis on undergraduate research. HSU ranks first among all public masters universities in the western US in the proportion of our undergraduates who go on to successfully complete PhD. degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering.

HSU teaches what stewardship is all about.

http://humboldt.edu/