UNH was intended to be a semester stop-over before transferring to a school that was higher on Heather’s list of priorities when she arrived as a midyear transfer student in the Spring of 2004. It didn’t take long for Heather to fall in love with UNH and the area. Initially it was the clubs and organizations Heather dabbled in that gripped her and made her give UNH a longer term look. Having grown up in Nebraska, Heather wanted to explore the Northeast. Joining the UNH Outing Club gave her this opportunity. Heather was out on a trip almost every weekend during her first semester. Before long she was leading trips herself. She was able to combine her love of the outdoors with her desire to be a better leader. Heather also became a member of Christian Impact. Again she made strong connections with people and found a community that pulled her in, making her want to stay at UNH.
Heather decided to major in Wildlife Ecology and minor in Geography. While looking for a way to travel abroad and do research in her field she went on a UNH Eco-Quest program to New Zealand. At the time she had no idea she would join a team of researchers that would discover a population of a rare pre-historic amphibian, the Hochstetter’s frog. She and her fellow researchers journeyed into the backcountry of New Zealand’s North Island and uncovered 566 Hochstetter’s frogs. Living with minimal amenities, enduring the winter in New Zealand, and hiking to places no one had ever been was the daily routine. Heather’s research led to several publications and presentations abroad and at home. Writing about her findings is one way Heather hopes to inspire other UNH students to get out there and do research as undergraduates.
Traveling is a passion for Heather. She has managed to travel several times while at UNH. She participated in two mission trips through Christian Impact to Yellowstone National Park and to Kazakhstan. She also participated in an Alternative Break Challenge trip to East St. Louis working in an after school program. Most recently Heather went on a research expedition to St. John studying Tropical Ecology. Rather than trekking across the land she was under water most of the time.
When Heather isn’t traveling she continues to make the most of her time at UNH. She served as a student intern for the UNH Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. She was drawn to this program because of her love for horses and her brother with disabilities. In her senior year Heather chose to be a Resident Assistant in Congreve Hall. The idea of taking on a leadership role on a floor of undergraduates was compelling to her. She saw this as a way to give back to a place that had offered her so many amazing opportunities.
One may ask how is this woman so motivated, fit and energetic? How does she make time to do all that she does in a week? Heather is an avid swimmer and runner. She incorporates exercise into her daily routine because it helps her to be physically and emotionally healthy. She doesn’t watch TV, doesn’t IM and until recently didn’t own a computer. She makes room for creative outlets, art being one of them. This past year her room was transformed into an art studio as she created charcoal drawings for family and friends as holiday gifts.
In Heather’s words she believes, “Students need to have hope and dreams, they need to look around 
and find and do things they love. They need to hone in on their passions and if they don’t know what these are, simply try new things. There is no better time than now to dabble with so many things at your finger tips.”
What’s in store for Heather as she nears graduation? It’s no surprise that she wants to continue her education, hoping to do research and study in exotic locations. Perhaps Hawaii will be her next stop.
