Student Testimonials

From hands-on fieldwork to late-night discussions under starry skies, these testimonials capture the unique spirit and transformative experiences that make UMBS an unforgettable chapter in their education.

Meet UMBS Alumni and peek through their personal photos from their month-long stay at Michigan’s historic field research station in the Northwoods.

The sprawling campus is made up of more than 10,000 forested acres.

Cabins, classrooms and laboratories are tucked along the shores of Douglas Lake in Pellston, about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.

If you’re a college student anywhere in the world, let these vignettes be your sign to join UMBS for field courses this spring or summer at the paradise of place-based learning.

Our vast campus (the largest of U-M’s campuses!) engages all of the senses. Its remote, natural setting nurtures deep thought and scientific discovery.

UMBS serves as a gathering place to learn from the natural world, advance research and education, and inspire action. We leverage over a century of research and transformative experiences to drive discoveries and solutions to benefit Michigan and beyond.

Rune Cuthrell

Institution: Schoolcraft College
Major: Associate of Science
Term: Summer 2026
UMBS Courses: Insights From Trees and Michigan: People and Place in a Changing Climate

“I can safely say that my month at UMBS was one of the most wonderful I’ve ever had. I found myself inspired in a way that hadn’t happened for years. I was writing poems, drawing, photographing and painting. All without self-judgment (hooray!). My greatest advice for future students when starting at the bio station is to approach it without fear. Be yourself. Jump in the lake! Laugh as loud as you want to. Have fun. Be a nerd! Have a chat with someone you wouldn’t normally talk to. Broaden your horizons. Classes can be intense with courses in session Monday through Saturday. If you start to feel overwhelmed, make it a point to escape into nature. The trails and surrounding forests are healing for a tired mind. Appreciate every moment and cherish the friendships you are forming. They can be lifelong and bound by this unforgettable, collectively shared experience.”

Ryder Lee

Institution: Schoolcraft College
Major: Environmental Studies
Term: Summer 2026
UMBS Courses: Insights From Trees and Great Lakes Policy and Management

“I had a life changing experience at UMBS, thoroughly enjoying every aspect of the classes and family atmosphere!! I loved sleeping in our cabins as well as being able to swim almost every day. I loved all the food made, especially any handheld options like burgers sandwiches and Pita wraps. Advice I’d give to future UMBS students would be to follow the packing list and prepare to need random things you won't have thought of. It takes a few days to sorta get acclimated but make as many friends as you can and try so many new things. As well as go to the Wednesday lectures!”

Ellanor May

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Psychology (Crime and Justice)
Term: Spring 2026
UMBS Courses: Observation and Modeling of Climate Change Biology and Conservation Biology in Practice

“I truly did not know what to expect when I signed up for the BioStation, but I was blown away by the community that greeted me when I arrived. This is the perfect opportunity for students who are looking to connect with nature, learn about the environment around them, or find ways to make an impact. I believe the BioStation truly becomes the experience you want it to be, whether that is more academic or socially focused. The idea of taking classes in the summer can be a bit daunting, but it truly never felt like I was stuck in a classroom or buried in homework. I loved my time at the Biostation, and would 100% enroll again.”

Micah Joyce

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Biology
Term: Spring and Summer 2026
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lecture, Conservation Biology in Practice, General Ecology Lab, and Microbiology

“I went to the Biological Station hoping to figure out whether ecology was something I wanted to pursue and whether fieldwork was right for me. My experience here completely changed the way I see the natural world and ultimately led me to switch my major from MCDB to EEB. My time at the BioStation has been one of my favorite parts of college so far, not only because of what I learned, but also because of the incredible people I met and the connections I formed. I feel like I’ve grown both academically and personally because of my time here. To anyone trying to figure out whether ecology, fieldwork, or something similar is something they want to pursue, I wholeheartedly recommend taking a course at the BioStation.”

Ella Johnson

Institution: Grand Rapids Community College
Major: Interdisciplinary Astronomy
Term: Summer 2026
UMBS Courses: Learning from the Landscape and Great Lakes Policy and Management

“The skills, experiences, and friendships I made at UMBS will be with me for a very long time. It's hard to put into words how meaningful it was, from the community response during the wildfire smoke, to exploring Northern Michigan through its nature and its politics, to the arts experiences I gained from working with our Resident Artist, it was all really wonderful. Of course, there were tough moments along with the good ones, but it made for a well-rounded journey, where I got to feel all kinds of emotions. UMBS was an adventure. My advice for future students is to go in without expectations, and let yourself find the path that feels right in the moment. Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone (holding a Sea Lamprey was definitely not on my bucket list) and explore, do the scary thing, and talk to absolutely everyone you meet.”

Jonathan Duplessis

Institution: Schoolcraft College
Major: Environmental Science
Term: Summer 2026
UMBS Courses: Insights From Trees and Great Lakes Policy and Management

“It was a wonderful time! It was really fun to take interesting classes and build a community over the month at the Biostation! Having a beach that is a 5 minute walk away from your house is awesome too.”

Dani Sanchez

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: American Culture
Term: Spring 2026
UMBS Courses: Ethnobotany and Conservation Biology in Practice

“As a graduating senior in the humanities, if I could do it all over again, I would add EEB! There's so many wonderful people and I am more than grateful to have had this experience. To future UMBS students, take a leap of faith, be brave, and you will be rewarded for it.”

Dane Rutz

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Bio (Pre-med)
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and General Ecology Lecture

“It was literally one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I met so many cool people and saw so many beautiful places.”

Elise Perez

Institution: Oakland University
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies, and minors in Biology and Studio Art
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: Conservation Biology in Practice and Ethnobotany

“Staying at the Biostation, even for just one semester, was a life-changing experience I am so grateful to have. In addition to making friends and unique experiences, I also carved a path in my academic career. As a medical illustration student, I have a broad range of biology to choose to specialize in, and being able to have these classes while being surrounded in what we're learning is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity which will help me decide what I want to go into after earning my master's degree.”

Tony DiMeglio

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and Political Science
Term: Spring 2024
UMBS Courses: Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands and General Ecology Lab

“My summer at the UM Biological Station was a life changing experience! I learned a lot, I made connections with researchers from across the country, I got to explore a lot of cool habitats in northern Michigan, and I met one of my now closest friends. Ever since I have encouraged every ecologically conscious student to take a summer at UMBS. And every time I drive through northern Michigan, I always have to make a pit stop. Advice for UMBS students I rarely hear is: I encourage students to take advantage of the unique teaching relationship at Bug Camp! Take time talking with the instructors — especially those from other institutions. Unexpectedly for me, these relationships have been some of the most helpful for my present and future career!”

Bobry'El Jones

Institution: Oakland Community College
Major: Physics and Mathematics
Term: Summer 2025
UMBS Courses: Field Mycology and Learning from the Landscape

“Being at the Biological Station allowed me to reconnect with my inner child and continue applying my youthful creativity and curiosity to research. Some advice I'd give a future student is to keep a log of events in a day (what you eat, where you travel, who you meet, what you learn). Also, get involved outside of your comfort zone! Every focus and every one is interconnected. The station is a village I call home because of how I am challenged and nurtured by the community.”

Matt Goodrich

Institution: University of Michigan
Double Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and PitE (Program in the Environment)
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and Field Botany

“Honestly some of the most fun I’ve had in classes, and I’ve actually used some of the material in classes I’m taking now.”

Alexa Hoogenstyn

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and General Ecology Lecture

“This was the absolute best way to meet more people at Michigan interested in EEB and the environment in general. Every day was spent in the beautiful northern Michigan outdoors. It was ideal taking classes that limited homework outside of the classroom because free time could be spent hiking, going to trivia, having fake bonfires, stargazing, canoeing, swimming, visiting the bug light at night, and taking Sunday trips to the Upper Peninsula and Sleeping Bear Dunes.”

Dalton Heavy

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands

“The best experience I have had at any level of education in my entire life. The classes rewired how I think about learning and interacting with the environment. Outside of class, I made some lifelong friends that still hangout now. I would advise students in the future to make sure to bring excess bug spray and field clothes.”

Kasey Gillman

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Social Theory and Practice
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lecture and Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands

“Do everything in nature! Read in it, bathe in it, walk barefoot on it, lie in it. Do the things that make you scared! Jump into the several-foot-deep bog; walk in the river that'll knock you over from the current; climb the dune.”

Lucille Gorbe

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Climate and Meteorology, with a minor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: Observation and Modeling of Climate Change Biology and Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands

“The Biostation is full of so many incredible people, from the peers met in classes to the researchers all around to the staff and faculty of the station. Everyone is crunched up in the cabins, so take time to get to know them, make friends, art, and amazing professional relationships.”

Jordan Knight

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and Art History
Term: Spring 2024
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and General Ecology Lecture

“I absolutely loved the Biostation. To date, it is probably my favorite experience with the university by far. There is just something special about being so immersed in the natural world as you’re learning about it. There’s a bit of magic at the Biostation I think, in both the landscape and the people, and I’d go back in a heartbeat. My advice is to enjoy it! Really be present and take it all in.”

Jaden French

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Earth and Environmental Sciences and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands and Conservation Biology in Practice

“My experience at the Bio Station was formative. Living with and taking classes alongside other students who are passionate about biology was exciting, and there was a definite sense of community. I would advise future UMBS students to not hesitate to make friends and be open to all different types of people. There can/will be different levels of discomfort, and I encourage future UMBS students to approach this with an open mind. Being outside of my comfort zone helped me identify ways to support and accommodate myself. I would also encourage future UMBS students to enjoy the surrounding environment outside of class. The course load can be overwhelming with only Sundays off, so if you're gonna do nothing at all on a Sunday, do it outside. If you're gonna do something, go somewhere you haven't been (outside).”

Avalon Yuhas

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
Term: Summer 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and Insights From Trees

“As a non-outdoorsy EEB major, I fully expected UMBS to not be my cup of tea, but decided to grab the opportunity to attend while I could nonetheless. I do not regret this decision in the slightest and, in fact, I think the experience I had at the Biostation was both necessary for my growth as an EEB major and my growth as a person. Whether it be interacting with other students of similar interests or attending classes that broadened my understanding of data collection and nature-art-society connections, I can safely say that I was having fun! When you go, just remember that your peers aren't nearly as scary as the size of some of the bugs — you never know when you might meet lifelong friends.”

Nathan Cherney

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Spanish
Term: Spring 2025
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands

“One of the best months of my life because of all the amazing people I met.”

Evan Wood

Institution: University of Michigan
Major: Program in the Environment (PitE)
Term: Spring 2024
UMBS Courses: General Ecology Lab and General Ecology Lecture

“I will never forget my time at the biostation! I was very hesitant to sign up at first, but after a week I knew I made the right decision. Ecology lecture and lab gave me an opportunity to do real fieldwork with other like-minded students almost every day. Outside of classes, I was able to travel across Northern Michigan, or even just relax by the lake or trails. If I had to give advice to future UMBS students, I would say put yourself out there, and don’t forget your bug spray!”