A second home & family
Kristen Sharpe ’22 reflects on her time as a student and employee at W&M’s Batten School & VIMS
Freshly graduated from Syracuse University, Kristen Sharpe took a six-month, part-time job with the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA), which is managed by William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS. Little did she know that a temporary job in 2014 would become a long-term home at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS, where Sharpe now serves as Assistant Director of Outreach and Engagement.
While working part-time, a grant freed up funding that allowed Sharpe to transition to full-time work. After four formative years immersed in educational programs, Sharpe was convinced to pursue a graduate degree (M.S.) through the Batten School & VIMS.
When she was comparing graduate schools, Sharpe says, “I just loved the community we have here, the work that we do which is so applicable to the health and wellbeing of Virginia’s citizens and our interest and expertise in science communication and scientific literacy. My interests, values, passion and enthusiasm all aligned with the mission of the Batten School & VIMS.”
Sharpe’s studies focused on zooplankton community compositions and diel changes in the York River, and their impact on fecal pellet production and carbon transport, which can influence climate conditions. She describes the graduate school’s culture as featuring “a dedicated, ambitious, go-for-it” group of professionals who share many of the same values and goals. This sense of belonging and mutual support has been a cornerstone of her professional and personal life. “What started as a job has become a second home and a second family.”
Her time at the Batten School & VIMS was highlighted by the mentorship of her advisor, Deborah Steinberg, about whom Sharpe is effusive, calling her “a role-model and powerhouse in her field. And, personally, she’s a fantastic coworker, friend, ally and advocate.” While forming new relationships, Sharpe also experienced personal growth: overcoming a fear of being out on the open ocean and discovering a passion for fishing, crabbing, kayaking and canoeing.
Sharpe enthusiastically shares those personal moments, as she does the professional opportunities she had while earning her degree. Those experiences included a two-month research trip to Antarctica, a northeast Atlantic research trip, representing her peers as President of the Graduate Student Association, being honored with the Kelly Watson Achievement Award for first-year accomplishments, being named a W&M Woman of Influence and being asked to deliver the student presentation at her commencement ceremony in 2022.
Today, as Assistant Director of Outreach and Engagement, a position which serendipitously opened just as she was preparing to defend her thesis, Sharpe continues to utilize the science communication skills she developed in graduate school. Managing the Batten School & VIMS’ public-facing programming includes everything from coordinating behind-the-scenes tours of the campus and exhibiting at fairs and festivals to organizing Marine Science Day, our annual open house event. In total, the Batten School & VIMS leads or participates in over 175 programs a year, which she says, “reach over 30,000 people in the Commonwealth, across the country and around the world.”
Sharpe offers this advice to current students: “You cannot compare yourself to other people or their progress. Focus on yourself and your work, be positive and try to stay grounded… Before you commit to a career or an area of expertise, participate in as much as you possibly can right now, because knowing what you don’t want in life is as important as knowing what you do want. Take advantage of the many incredible programs the graduate school offers.”
To those who have recently graduated and are entering the workforce, Sharpe emphasizes the importance of remaining connected to alumni networks. “Be sure to keep in touch with your advisor, your committee members and your peers, because marine science is actually a very small world, especially the research realm… Stay connected, keep us updated with what you’re doing and come back to campus when you can!”