Victoria Fox
Honors Portfolio
Junior Classes
Autumn Quarter 2016
Autumn Quarter, 2016: This was the quarter that I finally had my plan "figured out"; I was committed to my ESRM Major, my ENVIR Minor, and the Honors Program. Now, all I had to do was fulfill the requirements and fight hard for my grades. This year, my classes were much more oriented towards Environmental Science and I saw a drastic improvement in my grade point average. For Autumn Quarter and Winter Quarter, I achieved a 4.0 in every class which was a huge confidence boost that I had chosen the right field of study for me! I also joined Professor Jon Bakker's Terrestrial Restoration lab, and was being paid to help the Graduate Students with their research projects.
Winter Quarter 2017
Winter Quarter, 2017: Although the weather was considerably terrible this year, I didn't let the climate's mood affect my academic drive. I was beginning to think about future plans, which might include Graduate school. So, I pushed hard and managed to pull off another 4.0 quarter. Also, I was becoming more and more involved in John Bakker's lab. I worked closely with Loretta Fisher and her experiments with Plantago plant species, and with Nate Hann and his experiments with Checkerspot Butterflies. I didn't particularily enjoy most of my classes (except for Human Evolution), but it was fulfilling to find my place in the Terrestrial Restoration Lab.
This was the first class that I was able to take for my minor. Many of the concepts overlap from my Environmental Science major, so this class was easy-breezy. It was interesting to have class with so many Freshman, once I became a Junior!
Somehow, I had managed to take several restoration classes before actually taking Intro to Restoration. This class was interesting, and I was able to connect to Professor Jon Bakker through it.
Another one of Kern's restoration classes that I had enrolled in before Intro to Restoration. This class was very design and engineering heavy, which was new and quite boring in my perspective.
Human Evolution is one of the most engaging and relevant classes that I have taken at UW. I use the course material that I learned in conversation very often!
Graphic Imaging System was my first online class that I had taken at UW, and I almost regret it. I had a difficult time, although I pulled off good grades, and realized that online classes don't suit my learning style.
Admittedly, I am not a very good public speaker. So, I used this class to count for both my Communications credit and as the second requirement for my minor!
Spring Quarter, 2017: Three quarters in a row, I had earned 4.0's in every one of my classes! This felt like a huge accomplishment, even though my cumulative GPA only increased about 0.2 each quarter. This was a slower paced quarter, which I needed after the intense pressure of Winter Quarter. Honors Love was an intriguing class that explored ideas of altruism, fear, hate, social justice, and the role that love plays in these ideas. Environmental Resource Assessment allowed us to apply methods of vegetation analysis and social surveys in the field. Restoration Design created an environment where students had to work together to create and apply solutions to restoration problems. Although this quarter was slower paced, it provided challenges that I had never faced before which required intense focus and cooperation.
Spring Quarter 2017
Title: Honors Loveworks
Type: I&S
Grade: 4.0
It was good timing to take this class during this quarter. It was a good introduction to scientific methods in the field of Environmental Science, which I would apply more as I worked toward Graduate school. This class offered many guest lecturers and weekly class field trips to St. Edwards State Park.
Yet another Restoration Ecology class with professors Kern Ewing and Jim Fridley. This class was very similar to ESRM 478, Restoration Engineering, which was also taught by Professors Kern and Jim. The class revolved around a quarter long group project that culminated in a book.
I was most excited about this course. It was being offered for the first time ever, so the students were able to contribute and shape the class as it progressed. However, I was disappointed about how unstructured the class was, and the topics that we did not get to cover.
Title: Environmental Resource Assessment
Type: I&S
Grade: 4.0
Title: Restoration Design
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0
Title: Ecological Engineering
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0
Title: Intro to Restoration
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0
Title: Intro to Environmental Studies
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0
Title: Environmental Communications
Type: I&S
Grade: 4.0
Title: Geographic
Imaging System
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0
Title: Human Evolution
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0
This was my first seminar style class. It was only for two hours once a week, so it served as a nice break from the chaos of assignments due for other classes.
Title: Sustainability
Type: NW
Grade: 4.0