Among the trees and shorelines of the Boundary Waters lies the Coe College Wilderness Field Station, a hub for research paths previously not taken. Malaika Parpart ’28, an environmental biology major, attended a one month aquatic ecology course to solidify her desire to do research and fieldwork. “Wander around in the woods, scoop up bugs in the mud, and sort them on spreadsheets. That is how I want to spend my summers,” Malaika says. While describing the survival skills she can now teach friends, she was envisioning being back at Coe, cradling her favorite Damselfly larva in her hand and admiring the water she loves.

Maggie Joyce ’27 hoped to reinvigorate her biology pathway, and her experience went beyond the syllabus. Maggie, double major in biology and media studies with a Spanish minor, completed an animal behavior course observing hummingbird song patterns. Her search for statistical significance dimmed in comparison to connecting to the research process and the environment. Immersed with no distractions, Maggie opened her mind to new kinds of observations and more time to make them. “It was completely different from a park, and it was a wonderful thing to experience as a human being.”

Efrem Lilly ’27 described Coe as a culmination of expected challenges and meeting those challenges. “If you come into the space with an open-mind to learn new things, and have fun in a natural space, then you are basically golden,” says Lilly. His research on environmental toxicology was a next step to understanding the fundamentals of collecting data and observation.

Malaika agrees, “Every tiny thing I can think of is important. When you don’t have a choice, you just keep going. How to hang a bear bag when you don’t have any good trees. How to stand up when your backpack is too heavy and you fall over. You have to find a way to overcome what’s thrown at you.”

She attended class at base camp, researched using library wifi, and paddled to gather data for her research, aquatic macroinvertebrates and their diversity related to shoreline characteristics.

“We came up with a question, chose a goal, and got feedback. We finalized a plan AND did it all. We got to say, ‘That was my idea. I did that. I made it a reality.’ And then get to present it. It was my first taste of what I want to do in the future.”

A natural fit, Malaika almost didn’t go, and praised Beloit College staff and classmates for the extra push, noting how new relationships from Coe with students from Beloit College and other schools continue to provide support.

Maggie attributed her open mind to the onsite learning opportunity provided by the faculty at Coe College and the financial support from the Common Grant. “I’m risk averse, but if you’re thinking about it for a second then go for it. Prove to yourself that you’re capable.” She gained confidence, muscle, and conflict resolution skills. “What we learned went beyond teamwork. I had to carry a 50 pound canoe on my shoulders for a mile. The bags of food we would take out were almost as tall as me.” Staring out at the pristine waters, each student had a reason not to put-in, but that didn’t stop them from going all in, on new learning.