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WOW Spotlight: Rebecca Townsend

March 27, 2020

WOW Spotlight: Rebecca Townsend

Photograph of Rebecca glove-training a Great Horned Owl

Featured below is one of our WOW student volunteers, Rebecca Townsend. Rebecca is majoring in Environmental Engineering at The Ohio State University. After she graduates, she would like to continue her education and eventually receive a PhD. She has always been fascinated by learning, so she would like to continue to conduct research once she finishes her undergraduate degree. 

Learn more below about her positive experiences with the WOW Program! 

How long have you been helping out with WOW?: Wow... no pun intended... I have been helping out with WOW on and off for 3 years!

What is your favorite part of WOW?: Teaching the children about various things and seeing their eyes light up with excitement and/or fear when I show them bugs (aka, I love the insect unit).
 

Photograph of Rebecca teaching 3rd grade students about a sundew plant from the OSU greenhouse
Here is Rebecca teaching 3rd grade students about a sundew plant from the OSU greenhouse

 

What have you learned from WOW and how might this be applied to your future career?: I have learned more about working with children and people my age. I am a very social person, but my skills are limited when it comes to working with people–especially children. I don't think I will find myself working with children in my career, but it is always something good to have under your belt... and it is kind of fun too!

Anything else to add?: I used to own two Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches! My interest in them began after my first insect unit with WOW. Their names were Garfunkel and Bowie (Fogelberg was in between the two, but he didn't live that long, unfortunately). Go Bucks!