From an intro class to a calling: Sarah Herrera’s journey to marine science
A self-described “military kid,” one might assume Sarah Herrera’s interest in marine science stemmed from her time living in Hawaii or possibly working at a marina in Northern Virginia. But actually, her interest was piqued after enrolling in Introduction to Marine Science during her freshman year at William & Mary.
“I knew I wanted to be engaged in environmental science coming into college, but I thought I might end up in forestry or perhaps the energy sector,” said Herrera. “I had never heard of a coastal marine scientist until I attended Mark Brush’s class—the overlap between the land and sea really intrigued me.”
It wasn’t just the course material that made a difference. It was the dynamic energy of the classroom, where Brush’s enthusiasm and hands-on teaching style brought oceanographic concepts to life—read more about the course in this article.
“I remember one time he was demonstrating differences in water densities and chugged a glass of saltwater during the lecture,” Sarah recalls, laughing. “He certainly keeps you intrigued at 9:30 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. If you are interested in quite literally anything involving marine science, you are bound to stumble on it during that class.”
That initial spark led Herrera to pursue deeper involvement in marine science at W&M. She quickly became engaged in the Marine Science Society and now serves as co-president. Since she joined, the group has expanded its membership, programming and visibility, transforming from a small, craft-focused club into an active undergraduate community that supports both academic and professional exploration.
“Our meetings used to be just a couple of us,” Herrera says. “Now we have 15 to 20 people showing up regularly, panels with professors and grad students and even field trips to the Batten School & VIMS.”
Herrera continued to explore opportunities to engage in marine and coastal sciences, including enrolling in Coastal Environments in North Wales: Geology, Ecology and Human Dimensions.
“That was an eye-opening experience that led me more down the path of studying sea level rise and coastal ecology,” said Herrera. “Grace Molino, a graduate student at the Batten School, was a teaching assistant on the course and encouraged me to apply for the Hollings Scholarship, which really changed my trajectory.”
As a recipient of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship, Herrera completed an internship at the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve in South Carolina where she was involved in a project focused on delineating freshwater forested wetlands.
“That was my first experience at the intersection of state and federal environmental work. I got to work with a land manager, and it really opened my eyes to different career paths,” said Herrera.
This fall, Herrera will enter the M.S. in Marine Science program at the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Molly Mitchell, who specializes in coastal adaptation in response to sea level rise. Eventually, Herrera hopes to combine her passion for state politics and marine science in a career that benefits coastal communities.
“I have grown to love Virginia and have become active in state politics. We have specific challenges dealing with sea level rise, and I’d like to help tackle those issues,” said Herrera. “In the future, I’d like to be in a position where I can provide people doing the adaptation and restoration work with the tools and data they need to be effective.”
In her role as co-president of the Marine Science Society, Herrera advises many students who are unsure of their path. Most times, her advice is simple: “Take the class, apply for the internship, put yourself out there and try to get as many experiences as you can. You never know who you’ll meet and where those networks will take you.”