F&M Stories
Off-Campus Study: Tyler Schechter '16
My name is Tyler Schechter and I'm an Environmental Studies major and International Studies minor. Last fall, I was fortunate enough to be able to do research with the School for Field Studies (SFS) in the tropical rainforests and coral reefs of Bocas del Toro, Panama. This abroad experience has helped me discover not only what my career interests are but also who I am as a person.
In Panama, I was able to live in the tropical rainforest with 25 students from around the United States. Whether it was studying the coral reefs, participating in night walks through the rainforest, or doing community service, we were always busy learning new things. One of the highlights of my abroad experience was interviewing local businesses and conducting a strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis (S.W.O.T). I was even able to do my own month-long independent study on the diversity of trees in the tropical rainforest. To be able to do research in a tropical rainforest and to be integrated into a different culture was an opportunity of a lifetime.
My abroad experience also helped me discover who I am and what I'm passionate about. The research we conducted made me realize how interested I am in the environmental topics of sustainability and natural resource management. This has guided me in what I want to pursue as career interests. Also, learning and being integrated into another culture has given me a new perspective. Being integrated into a culture that I'm unfamiliar with was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I now look at the world in a different way. I think this new humbling experience is something that I will carry with me throughout my life. Studying abroad was one of the best decisions of my life as it gave me life long experiences and memories.
OCS Profile
Tyler Schechter '16
OCS Profile
Tyler Schechter '16
School for Field Studies - Tropical Island Biodiversity Studies
Bocas de Toro, Panama
Term Abroad: Fall 2014
Brooks College House
Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: International Studies
Campus Affiliations: Off-Campus Study Ambassador, Phi Kappa Tau fraternity
Related Articles
May 15, 2025
Williamson Medalist Learns “Growth Doesn’t Happen When We’re Comfortable”
Shayra Nunez, of New York City, is the 2025 recipient of the Williamson Medal, the College’s most prestigious award for student achievement. It has been awarded annually since 1922. She graduated summa cum laude as a joint major in business, organizations & society, and government. She received the medal at Franklin & Marshall’s Commencement May 10.
May 13, 2025
F&M Professor Awarded $500,000 Mellon Grant to Amplify Local Grower Voices Amid Climate Change
Franklin & Marshall College Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Eric Hirsch is the recipient of a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to lead a transformative three-year research initiative titled, “The Agricultural Futures Archive: Rural and Urban Growers in the Shadow of the Solar Panel.”
May 12, 2025
‘The Door is Inside You,’ Speaker Tells Class of 2025 at Commencement
As F&M graduates find their footing beyond campus, they need only to look inward. “The door is inside you,” said speaker Sandra Cisneros, addressing members of the Class of 2025 at their Commencement May 10.