Marlatt Graduate Studies Endowment

"Receiving a fellowship from VIMS was the deciding factor in my decision to attend VIMS. The fellowship has enabled me to conduct meaningful research on the blue crab. Since my tuition and stipend are covered by private funds, not my advisors' money, I am able to spend more time working on my own research project. Similarly, I had greater freedom in choosing a thesis topic, since my focus did not have to be part of an assistantship or existing project. The fellowship also gave me the opportunity to have Dr. Emmett Duffy as my co-advisor, which has significantly enhanced my research and intellectual development. In a nutshell, fellowship support is responsible for the high quality of education that I am receiving as a student at VIMS."

--Melanie Spring, M.S. student, Department of Fisheries Science