My name is Philip Thomas and I'm currently a Senior at Clarion University. My major is Environmental Biology and I plan on taking a minor in GIS. On the side, I am a Resident Assistant in Wilkinson Hall on campus where I help residents with problems that occur where they need help or information. I also provide programs for the residents for their entertainment and to also have a learning experience.
Internships[edit | edit source]
This summer I did an internship at Hilltop Hatcheries. It is a privately owned fish hatchery dealing in the selling of game fish and assorted pond fish. What I did was check the tanks to make sure nothing was harming the fish. I checked things like salinity, temperature, pH, depth of the water and so on. I also waited on customers helping them out with questions on their ponds and what fish would be good for what size of a pond they had. There was also a greenhouse on the side which dealt in aquatic plants. I took care of the plants everyday by watering them, pruning them,and also planting them for sale. When the place wasn't too busy, George Kirik who owns the hatchery and I would go up on the hill and gather plants that we were growing and stock up on fish that we had been breeding. There are a total of 32 ponds on the top of the hill. We had a variety of fish including catfish, japanese koi, large mouth bass and goldfish.
Thoughts About Energy[edit | edit source]
I believe with the advances we are making today in the world, we should be able to find more sufficient uses of energy that are less pollutant but more productive. I'm all for trying to clean up this planet.
Future Goals[edit | edit source]
I am hoping someday to find a career involving forestry or wildlife conservation. I have talked with friends and they think I should take the PA Civil Service test. What would happen if I passed would be that I'd move on to perhaps become a Wildlife Conservation Officer. It is an option. What I really want is to be able to work outside with nature and enjoy my job.