Austin College Students Receive Fulbright Awards

s t u d e n tachieversAustin College’s reputation for pre-medical studies and the College graduates’ medical schoolacceptance rates often draw the aspiring doctor or specialist. Marielle Remillard ’09 was oneof those. “I had every intention of pursuing a career in neuroscience and chose to attend AustinCollege partially for the school’s excellent reputation in the biomedical sciences,” Marielle said.“Like many undergraduates students, however, I changed my mind.”In May, Marielle graduated summa cum laude from Austin College with a major in mathematics(Honors in Mathematics), a minor in biology, and an entirely new vision for her future career. Duringher sophomore year at Austin College, she discovered a passion for the study and conservation ofwater resources. Having grown up in the arid climate of New Mexico (the state receives an averageof less than 15 inches of rainfall annually), Marielle was well aware of the importance of waterresources to communities.After visiting Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia during a 2007 JanTerm, she realized the impact of waterresources on global issues like poverty and on the functioning of entire societies. “I could witnessfirsthand the dire need for clean water and improved sanitation,” Marielle said. “When you are livingin a place without running water, it is impossible to ignore the problems that arise. My educationwould be emotionless and dry without the experiential knowledge acquired during that JanTerm.”The experience in Southeast Asia changed her career focus. “I decided that I would dedicate my lifeto safeguarding water resources and working to improve global access to clean water — working as anenvironmental engineer,” Marielle said. As she began to seekout courses and educational experiences that reflected herchange in academic and career focus, she found AustinCollege’s educational opportunities flexible and fulfilling forthe non-pre-medical student as well.Marielle participated in the Model United Nations programto expand her knowledge of international political structureand environmental law. With the help of her peers and a fewAustin College student organizations, she organized twoWaterCan Walk for Water 6-K charity races. “In 2008, weeducated more than 150 participants and volunteers and raised$3,000 for clean water projects in Eastern Africa,” she said.Marielle also took her education off-campus. In 2008, shetook courses in fluid mechanics, Middle Eastern studies,business, and Arabic during a fall semester study abroadprogram at the American University in Dubai, United ArabEmirates (UAE). She spent the 2008 summer in Alaska takingcourses and working for a watershed analysis group, Geo-Watershed Scientific, and continued work with the companyafter completing her degree in January 2009.This fall, Marielle will attend Johns Hopkins University to earn a master’s degree in environmentalengineering, funded by the Department of Homeland Security Fellowship program. She intends to usethe degree to assist with disaster relief and sustainable development. “While Austin College is notedfor excellence in biomedical sciences, I believe its strongest trait is producing students who know howto think and ask questions, regardless of the discipline,” she said. “I now have been at a fewundergraduate institutions, and I am glad to say that my degree comes from Austin College.”PHOTO BY VICKIE S. KIRBYthe water girlMarielleRemillardJune 2009 Austin College Magazine 13