College of Sciences hosts ecological open house

Students and parents fought the rain and teamed up with UCF Saturday in an effort to go green during the fifth annual College of Sciences open house. The Nicholson School of Communication hosted the event where students had the opportunity to better the environment by planting mangrove plants and building oyster mats that will later be put into the water to recreate reefs at Canaveral National Seashore’s Mosquito Lagoon.

The UCF Arboretum, UCF speech team and UCF alumni were a few of the groups with tables set up to present both current and potential students, as well as their parents, with a look at what UCF has to offer. Both students and faculty were on hand to volunteer for the event.

Susan Hill, an office manager at the College of Sciences, was one of the many faculty members giving out information to students and parents.

“UCF is great. It’s growing, it offers a lot to the students. It’s a community-based school,” Hill said. “The staff is here for the students.”

Along with the tables, there was a tour of the radio/television department where students and parents could get a look at what goes on behind the scenes of the newscast. Tim Brown, a radio and television professor, lead the tour with a quick stop to see Richard Brunson, a journalism professor, who was discussing Centric magazine with the crowd.

“It’s my college, and I love my college,” said Teresa Dorman, assistant dean of academic and student affairs. “A lot of great and inspiring things are happening at the College of Sciences.”

Amber Walters, a freshman who is currently undecided about her major, visited the event with her aunt and grandparents to get a feel for majors and ended up learning a little something about the environment.

“I looked at the displays and talked about the research,” Walters said. Her grandfather, Frank Makowski, enjoyed seeing the displays while visiting his granddaughter.

“We like math and science and are interested in environmental issues,” Makowski said.

“The part I’m most excited about was to plant mangroves and make oyster mats,” Tonya Walker, an interdisciplinary studies major, said. “It’s a good bonding experience; it brings a sense of community to the university.”

Students received green bandannas for volunteering and were asked to wear them to the event to support UCF’s effort to go green.

“It’s a get-your-hands- dirty kind of thing,” Dorman said.