Student Stories
Rachel Hargrove
Geology graduate
Oregon State University geology student
Central Oregon Geoscience Society research grant recipient
Rachel Hargrove unearthed her passion for geology at COCC. In fact, it was waiting to be found. "I have always loved nature," she says, "and in high school, earth science was my favorite subject. But somewhere along the way I lost my fascination with it all — this program not only helped to remind me, but also showed me that being a geoscientist could be rewarding, relevant, and achievable."
"The program showed me that being a geoscientist could be rewarding, relevant, and achievable."
Hargrove received a research grant from the Central Oregon Geoscience Society while at COCC, which she used to examine a mysterious inclusion on Pilot Butte. "An inclusion is a rock that wasn’t formed by the same processes as the surrounding material — a rock that doesn’t belong," she explains of the project, which ultimately involved X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopic examination, revealing that it was highly brecciated matter, composed of many tiny pieces of many rock types. "I learned a lot about professional communication in my correspondence with my research advisors, communication with the labs we used, and from writing my research proposal and research summary."
Now planning to complete her bachelor’s degree in geology and perhaps pursue a master’s program, Hargrove is appreciative of the recipe for success that COCC offered. "The Geology department at COCC prepared me for higher-level scientific thinking, helped me learn how to learn, fueled my interest in nature and science, and inspired confidence in my own learning capabilities."
Cameron Larson
Certified Flight Instructor and owner of Larson Aviation
"I have always been interested in geology. I moved to Central Oregon for COCC’s flight school and the program required a few electives from the sciences. The material and knowledge I learned from those Geology classes have greatly influenced the way I view the earth as I fly above it. My COCC class would go on weekly field trips to awesome places like Hole in the Ground, Fort Rock, Lava Cast Forest, Smith Rock, or the Cove Palisades, and then the next day I would go fly over these neat formations just to see it from a different perspective. I think it is so cool how Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging), typically taken from an aircraft, can cut right through all the noise on the surface of the earth and reveal the hidden features that lie beneath. Perhaps one day I will get to bring my passions of geology and flying together."
Katriona Pratt
COCC Geology student
"COCC has given me the tools to advance my skills and the opportunity to work alongside experts in the field. My involvement in the Volcanology Students of Oregon conference, as well as the Geological Society of America regional conference, allowed me to experience the diversity of geological fields firsthand, and learn more about working in my intended field of volcanology. I recommend this program to anyone seeking a degree in geology, as it encouraged me to pursue my education."
