"What was offered at Harper would be far better for my career prospects,” says Amber Staton.

“What was offered at Harper Adams: the course, the placement, and the opportunity for accreditation, as well as Harper’s expertise in the sector, would be far better for my career prospects”, says student Amber Staton, explaining why she chose to study BSc (Hons) Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Management at Harper Adams instead of at another, bigger university.  

“I’ve always wanted to study and work in conservation…I don’t think there was a time when I wasn’t interested in Wildlife Conservation, but the intensity of my feelings towards climate change and extinction rates really convinced me this is what I want to do”, says Amber.

“When it came to choosing where to study, I was torn between Harper Adams and a Russel Group University, but as much as a Russel Group University is important, what was offered at Harper Adams, the course, the placement, and the opportunity for accreditation, as well as Harper’s expertise in the sector, would be far better for my career prospects” explained Amber.

Amber, 19, has recently finished her first year at Harper Adams says that she has enjoyed all her modules, but cites Introduction to Animal Welfare, Behaviour and Ethics and the fieldwork as her favourite parts of course so far.

“I couldn’t believe how much fieldwork we did, we managed to do loads of different things including newt surveying, mammal trapping and learning how to release them safely, Where we are helps as well, we’re so rural and we have places such as Ironbridge, The Shropshire Hills, and forests on our doorstep to enjoy and practise different types of fieldwork…I could not do this at an urban university, so Harper’s location is really beneficial to my degree.”

Even though Amber has loved learning about Britain’s native animals and environment, her dream lies across the pond in Yellowstone National Park.

“I’m really interested in wolves and their pack dynamics, and since being exposed to more information about them as keystone species as part of conservation aspects of my degree, such as rewilding, their impact on their surrounding habitat has fascinated me and made me want to pursue a career working with wolves ideally at Yellowstone analysing their interactions with each other and their environment”.

To help her American dream become reality, hiking enthusiast Amber joined the Conservation Society but sadly activities were put on hold due to Covid-19.

“It’s not been a normal university experience, but my flatmates are great and Harper has been doing as much as possible for us… plus living amongst the beautiful countryside has helped as we have been able to get out and go for walks.”

Looking to her second year, avid reader Amber is looking forward to getting back to campus for some hands-on learning and hopes to continue achieving the level of academic success she attained in her first year.