Lock Haven University (LHU) students and TRIO Student Support Service members explored various aquatic exhibits via Zoom during a virtual tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Feb. 22.
Social Work and Counseling professors, Carl Sell and Rachel Epstein, helped facilitate the event Monday afternoon.
“Dr. Epstein and I were looking for ways to provide more social and cultural activities for TRIO SSS scholars, activities that, prior to COVID, we would have been able to physically go and do. I’m a huge fan of open-access things that are still of high quality, and I love animals, and I know a lot of our students do as well … Monterey Bay had the best experience that was open to the public,” said Sell.
He utilized the free, live webcams on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website to show the students a variety of aquatic species living on exhibit at the California aquarium. Students had the opportunity to choose which exhibits they wanted to explore before watching a narrated sea otter feeding at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Among the explored exhibits included the kelp forest, open sea, shark, moon jellyfish, and African penguins. Here is a provided link to virtually check out these exhibits, and more on the Monterey Bay Aquarium website.
“My favorite [exhibit] was the sharks! While they are seemingly scary to everyone, it is nice to see them in their habitats just existing calmly,” said senior Social Work major and TRIO peer mentor, Piper Harsch.
The highlight of the event for most students was the otter exhibit. They witnessed a live, trained sea otter feeding session where four female otters performed various tasks for treats of clam, squid, and shrimp. These tactile and enrichment training sessions help stimulate the otters’ minds and bodies in order to improve their overall health and longevity while at the aquarium.
“My favorite aquarium cam was the sea otters because you got to see the trainers feed them and play tricks with them. I especially liked the audio over the camera explaining what was happening,” said senior Criminal Justice major, Adriana Bumbarger
While the intended audience was directed toward TRIO students, any LHU student interested in attending was welcomed.
Roughly a dozen students participated in the virtual Zoom tour. The online meeting allowed them the freedom to pop-in and out of the event, as their schedules permitted. The LHU Biology department also paid a special visit toward the beginning.
Overall, the virtual visit was accepted well by the participating students and faculty. They enjoyed the opportunity to relax, have fun, and look at animals with their LHU friends and family. It also served as a trial run to determine student interest and popularity for future events.
“I enjoyed the event because I got to see a lot of animals that we would not normally get to see during the pandemic. It was great to have a bit of normalcy of going to an aquarium – even if it was virtual,” said Bumbarger.
As a peer mentor, Harsch encourages LHU students to take advantage of virtual opportunities and events, like this one, in the future to help cope with stress and depression.
“As a mentor who is tasked with creating these events virtually I think it’s vital. TRIO has been dedicated to virtual events since last March and we really want to continue to have a community that supports each other. I think students are all stressed and dealing with a lot so if we can provide an hour where they get some time off to look at some fish and make jokes with peers I feel like I’ve done my job! Attend the virtual events! I know nobody wants to get on zoom after hours but we want to support you!”
Another virtual tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is scheduled for Monday, March 15.
Kerri Hoover
Kerri Hoover is in her third year working on the Eagle Eye staff and currently serves as the President and Editor-in-Chief. As a Lock Haven University senior, she majors in Communication with a triple-concentration focus in Advertising & Public Relations, Electronic Media, and Journalism. With her versatile skill set, Kerri hopes to pursue a career working as a social media content creator, journalist, or video editor. On the rare occasion Kerri isn’t working in the newsroom, she can be found hanging out with her friends, working at the PUB, or creating content for the LHU Media and Journalism Department.
