As an outdoors enthusiast from Billings, Mont., Gavin Stichman was thrilled to stumble upon Saint Mary’s Winona Campus. Part of the tuition-exchange program, Stichman was touring several colleges in the Midwest and added Saint Mary’s to the list because it was simply on the way during his 18-hour car ride.
“I toured Saint Mary’s, and I absolutely loved it,” he said.
The senior environmental biology and conservation major said the campus location — tucked into the bluffs, with a trout stream running through campus — was a big attraction.
“We do data collection in the trout stream,” he said. “We have nature in our back yard, and it’s so accessible to us.”
A senior this fall, Stichman is also taking master’s courses in data intelligence and geoanalytics and is hoping to pair his areas of study together for a future career in animal conservation with either the DNR, national parks, or private organizations.
“I grew up hunting and fishing in Montana, doing all the outdoorsy stuff,” he said. “I’ve been passionate about it my whole life. I would love to turn my passion into a career, giving back to the sport and the environment that has so well blessed me in the past.”
Preparing him for that future, he enjoys doing bat research with his research and academic adviser, Dr. Ben Pauli, and has loved his environmental biology courses, including wildlife ecology and conservation biology.
As an admissions ambassador during the summer, he serves as a welcoming face to potential students, helps them plan their visits, and gives tours of campus — highlighting everything that Saint Mary’s has to offer.
He tells them why they should choose Saint Mary’s: “It’s a warm welcoming community. I think the biggest draw is the individuality you have here; you come to Saint Mary’s, and you’re not a number,” he said. “With our smaller class sizes, it’s easy to get the help you need. Everyone you encounter cares about your success and wants you to do well.”
