As they prepare for their May 13 Commencement ceremony, Franklin & Marshall seniors look back at their four years on campus—and what's next.
Name: Vyas Agarwal
Major: Animal Behavior
College House: Brooks College House
What town do you call home? Kolkata, India
Activities at F&M:
I was involved in various activities during my four years at F&M, including the varsity rowing team, volunteering at the vivarium, being a house adviser for Brooks College House, table tennis, equestrian, and frisbee clubs, being a Diplomatic Congress senator until junior year, and completing research with Professor Dan Ardia [Charles A. Dana professor of biology, associate dean of the faculty] looking at "Spatiotemporal variation in wildlife due to human footprint and walking dogs, at Baker Campus."
What did you enjoy most about your time at the College?
I cannot put everything into words here! Meeting so many people from different cultures and making amazing friends was definitely a highlight. I loved trying out new things and getting out of my comfort zone. F&M is such a fun community with so much to do and such amazing people, and being a part of it is something I will cherish.
Why did you choose to attend F&M?
I was always interested in animals as a kid and wanted to work with them, and F&M had one of the best animal behavior programs as a liberal arts undergrad institution. I also chose F&M because of its huge diversity of clubs and organizations, which would allow me to pursue my interests while trying out new experiences. Coming from a big high school, I wanted to attend a college that allowed me to be part of a tight-knit community with diverse cultures and people from all over the world.
What brief advice would you give to students considering attending F&M?
Get out of your comfort zone and do things you always wanted to do! Being at F&M is your time in the spotlight, where you can do what you want at your own pace, and engage in a community of the smartest people I have ever known.
What are your plans for after graduation?
After graduation, I want to relax and see my family! After that, I will be moving down to Louisiana, where I will be working at Chimp Haven, the world's largest chimp sanctuary, as a behavior technician. The role involves training chimps using positive reinforcement, doing enrichment and behavioral observations. I also plan on grad school after some time off.
“I wanted to attend a college that allowed me to be part of a tight-knit community with diverse cultures and people from all over the world.”
