Morgan Marzec ’24 (biology major with math minor) interned as a research assistant to the entomology department at the University of Delaware, at the Carvel Research Station in Georgetown, Delaware. Responsibilities for Marzec included insecticide efficacy trials and vineyard and corn-ear worm pest monitoring.

“An interesting side project I had was trapping and identifying spotted wing drosophila. This was being done to pass along information to the USDA in regard to an experiment they were doing involving beneficial insects," Marzec said.

Connecting students to hands-on learning opportunities like Marzec's internship at the University of Delaware is part of SMCM's Honors College Promise. St. Mary's College students are guaranteed the opportunity to pursue an internship, research experience or international study. That promise is supported by the College's LEAD Initiative (Learning through Experiential and Applied Discovery). "I had a wonderful experience at this internship and learned so much every day,” Marzec said.