Campus News

April 6th, 2026

JCLS to feature student environmental techs

Five NRWT grads, students to share North Branch headwaters project

JCLS student presenters, photo captioned below

Three graduates and two current sophomores in Garrett College’s Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology (NRWT) program will be this month’s Joan Crawford Lecture Series presenters. Pictured, left to right, are Annie Martin, Ariella Malfaro, Alex Travia, Alex Hostutler, and Lauren Gooden.

Three graduates and two current students from Garrett College’s Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology (NRWT) program will share their experiences conducting biological surveys in the wetlands at the headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac River during this month’s Joan Crawford Lecture Series presentation in the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College conference center.

NRWT graduates Annie Martin (Class of 2024) and Alex Hostutler and Alexander Travia (both Class of 2025), along with current sophomores Lauren Gooden and Ariella Malfaro, will present their work on Wednesday, April 15th at 6 p.m. The presentation is entitled Getting to Know Wetlands: Our Summer Job Monitoring the Headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac.

The students’ work involved monitoring the impacts of acid mine drainage and efforts to remediate those impacts. The students will discuss the work they did, what they learned, and the fun they had in the midst of it all.

"Dozens of NRWT students have worked hard, gained invaluable experience, gotten paid, and had a great time over the 25 years of grant-funded monitoring of these wetlands. Who better to tell the story of this study than the students themselves – the ones who have put in the long days on the project," said NRWT Academic Program Director Kevin Dodge.

Joan Crawford Lecture Series honors dynamic educator Joan R. Crawford, who died in 2010 after serving the Garrett College community for 30 years in a variety of faculty and staff roles.

For more information about the Joan Crawford Lecture Series, contact Stephanie Miller at stephanie.miller@garrettcollege.edu.