Melissa Petschauer

The Magothy River Association awarded the E Gordon Reily Scholarship to Melissa Petschauer at the Annual State of the Magothy meeting on Feb. 16 at Anne Arundel Community College.

Melissa is this week's Patch Whiz Kid for her work with the MRA and the environment.

Here is Melissa's bio:

I was born in Bremerhaven, Germany  and when I was about three we moved to the Millersville, area, ever since I was little I was interested in the environment but I really didn’t get to immerse myself in it till I attended Old Mill Senior High School where I took many biology classes.

Once I entered Anne Arundel Community College I began my Environmental Science Transfer degree and I soon wanted more hands on, then just in the classroom.

I soon learned of an opportunity to participate in an oyster dive with the Magothy River Association and I jumped on it.  After that I begin to work with Richard Carey that upcoming summer, and helped him collect data at different points of the river. It was a great experience and really opened my eyes to see things needed to be done, and I hope to work with him this summer again.

After Anne Arundel Community College I plan on transferring to The University of Maryland to further my studies, and then come back to these water ways and lend another hand.

Congratulations from Patch!

From the MRA website:

The Magothy River Association has endowed two scholarship funds at Anne Arundel Community College.  They are for residents of the County who are students in good standing in an environmental science program.  The scholarships are available to all qualified students, including incoming first year students.  Applications are available during September and January of each year. For more information contact the Science Division at AACC (410) 777-2260 or president@magothyriver.org.