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March 8 is recognized worldwide as International Women’s Day. In honor of the occasion, today’s One Student. One Story features a remarkable young woman. Amanda Baez is a senior majoring in Natural Resources Management. She has a love for nature and wildlife, and through UConn Amanda has been able to extend her passion beyond lectures and books. This past winter, Amanda trekked to Costa Rica to explore protected rainforests, research nature reserves and study beautiful wildlife. Her trip was funded by the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP). LSAMP is a program targeted at minorities majoring in the sciences, and has the mission to help guide these students through their college careers. Amanda credits her success to the organization and is grateful for the opportunities it has provided her over the past four years.

Amanda also gets hands-on experience at her on-campus job. She works as a lab assistant with Professor Spencer Nyholm studying Hawaiian bobtail squid. Her job entails feeding the squid, helping raise their young, and preparing the research lab for experiments. She began working with Professor Nyholm her first semester at UConn and has loved it ever since.

The experiences Amanda has been given have influenced her to pursue a career as a wildlife researcher. She plans to travel worldwide to follow her interests and expand her knowledge. Her next stop? LSAMP has awarded Amanda a grant for a trip to South Africa this upcoming summer, where she’ll learn to track animals, investigate habitats, and live in the depths of the savannah. I think I can say with confidence that Amanda’s next excursion surely won’t be her last.