Brian Congiu ’08, of Bayonne, NJ, settled upon St. Lawrence in his college search because it was a small liberal arts university with “an excellent undergraduate geology program” and research opportunities in a rural setting, he says. Also convincing him to enroll was a campus that was beautiful and expanding, says the St. Peter’s Preparatory School graduate.  He adds, “It was evident that the University put a great deal of effort into bettering the campus and student life.”  Geology became one of his majors; he also double-majors in environmental studies.

Last year, Brian was the recipient of a St. Lawrence Internship Fellowship which supported an internship he had with the Adirondack Park Agency, which manages land and resource use in the 6.1-million-acre Adirondack Park, which is just a few miles from campus.  He was also one of two students who traveled with faculty members to St. Lawrence Island to the Norton Sound region of Alaska to assist with an environmental justice project that involved remediation of pollution dating back to World War II. 

Brian participates in many activities on campus.  “It is not hard to get involved in something on such an active campus,” he says.  “Within Geology, I am a charter member of the Eta Xi chapter of the Sigma Gamma Epsilon Earth Sciences Honorary and served as the chapter’s first president last year.  I am an active member and president of the SLU Geology Club.  Being involved in both of these organizations is important to me because they both foster strong relationships among the students, as well as faculty, outside of the classroom.” 

Brian is searching for graduate schools with strong earth sciences or environmental science programs, with hopes to pursue a career in environmental geology.