Summer Fellow’s work to benefit Clinton community

Summer Fellow’s work to benefit Clinton community

SummerFellow-Snead

Sterilite, a company that manufactures household and storage products, recently donated land to the city of Clinton to be developed as a recreational area. However, before the land can be utilized, the plant biodiversity needs to be surveyed so proper recommendations for the land can be made. That’s where Kathleen Snead’s Summer Fellows research project comes in.

“My research this summer is to quantify the plant biodiversity at the headwaters of the Bush River,” said Snead. “My goals for this research project are to survey the land for plant biodiversity, document the findings, and provide recommendations for the land to the Clinton community.”

A senior biology major with minors in environmental studies and psychology, Snead is heavily involved on campus. She serves as the president of the Panhellenic Council, the Vice President of Public Relations for Student Activities Board, a Stirling, a biology Peer Mentor, and a student worker in the admissions office. Snead is also in a sorority.

Snead hopes to take her project beyond this summer into the fall. “I believe that my work this summer will lead to future research,” she said. “I want to continue doing more work at the site which could be beneficial for myself as well as other PC students who may want to build upon my findings.”

For her research, Snead is working with Dr. Rachel Pigg, assistant professor of biology whose research interests include wildlife ecology and conservation and landscape ecology.“Kathleen worked with me previously as a Peer Mentor in our introductory biology

“Kathleen worked with me previously as a Peer Mentor in our introductory biology courses,” said Pigg. “She is proactive, motivated, and detail-oriented. With these characteristics, I’m certain she’ll have great success this summer.”

Although Snead is unsure of her plans upon graduating from PC, she knows that her summer research is preparing her for whatever she decides to do.

“I may want to pursue a career in botany or ecology, and this project will give me some experience in the field,” said Snead. “The Summer Fellows program is giving me an opportunity to interact with my professors on another level and present a project in an official forum. This research helps solidify the knowledge I’m gaining from the classes I have taken at PC.”

 


 

Presbyterian College is located on a striking 240-acre campus in Clinton, between Columbia and Greenville, S.C. Offering challenging academics and a culture of honor, ethics, and service that prepares students to be leaders in communities, PC offers its students the benefit of engaging with an exceptional faculty who take individual interest in their students’ well-being, both personally and in the classroom. The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy opened in 2010, and is dedicated to the ideals of leadership, honor to the profession, and service to the community. For more information about Presbyterian College, visit www.presby.edu.