Wren Patton believes college is a time to explore anything and everything you’re interested in, even if it leads you in a variety of directions. It’s a philosophy she’s certainly followed throughout her college career.

Beginning with a biology major, Patton has added a major in fisheries and wildlife science, plus an International Degree. Beyond her major studies, she took a class in ballroom dancing her sophomore year and liked it so much, she tries to fit a dance class into her schedule every term. She also took an honors course on analyzing humor, “a class that shows you different perspectives on what is funny,” she says. “I thought it was interesting to see humor as a social phenomenon.” And on top of all that, she was a goalie on a club sport water polo team.

Like most students in the University Honors College, Patton has found multiple opportunities for undergraduate research. In her freshman year, she conducted stream surveys of Coho salmon in the Coast Range for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Patton also collected sea urchin samples and preliminary data for a research project at Villanova University. Researchers there analyzed the nutrients held in their shells to measure oceanographic patterns. “They’re indicator species,” Patton explains. “Their health indicates the ocean’s health.”

Patton worked on another research project last summer as part of the NOAA Hollings Scholarship Program, tracking sea turtles off the coast of North Carolina. The Navy uses the area as a bombing range, and the research team used satellite tags to learn about their surfacing behavior. This data creates a more accurate correction factor for the aerial surveys used to determine how the population of this threatened species is affected by naval training exercises.

Beyond the data for the Navy, Patton found data trends indicating different surfacing behaviors in the summer compared to winter. She’s developing her Honors thesis around research to determine why sea turtles behave as they do.

All of these academic programs and research experiences are preparing Patton for a career managing marine resources. “Management is an essential part of biology and research,” she says. “It’s incredibly important that we manage and conserve what we have now so we’ll still have them in 50 years.”

Patton found in the UHC the support for her multiple interests and the confidence to follow them. “UHC provides groundwork to build relationships and get involved on a personal level with what excites you, whatever that may be,” she says. “Pursue what you’re passionate about. If you know what you love and believe in yourself, you can do anything.”