Feature Stories

Recent graduate bridges her science and liberal arts education to expand her understanding of the world

Madison Bailey-Schofield '17 found a way to blend her passion for biology with her skills as an English major to critically understand the world around her and to relate the work she's done as a biology student to those outside of the scientific community.

By: Chelsea Cabral

Starting with an early love for biology at a young age, Madison Bailey-Schofield '17 knew that her passion for nature, animals, and the world would play a big part in her undergraduate studies. Beginning her undergraduate career as a curious biology student, her passion for science further flourished during a trip to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia as part of the People to People Student Ambassador Organization.

After taking and excelling in English courses, she then decided that adding a dual major would help her think about larger world events with a brighter critical eye and mind. “I loved being able to interpret different meanings of a text or to find an unexplored solution to a problem,” said Bailey-Schofield. “I really felt like giving up one major for the other would be like splitting myself in half; luckily I found a way to bridge those two together that benefits not only myself, but those with whom I may have an impact on in the future.”

Bailey-Schofield is intensely dedicated to protecting the environment, encouraging the scientific spirit of investigation and education, and inspiring future generations to take better care of the Earth.

“I wanted the chance to learn how to seamlessly implement science education and exploration while also being able to relate the work I am doing to others in ways that are accessible to the general public as well as the scientific community,” said Bailey-Schofield. “And that is exactly what being both a biology and English major provides me with; my education at UMass Dartmouth has given me the chance to hopefully impact lives in meaningful ways.”

During Fall 2016, Bailey-Schofield had the opportunity to work on her own research with a grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research. Working with Dr. Jennifer Koop in her biology lab, Bailey-Schofield designed her own research experiment titled “Implications of Temperature Variation on an Invasive Snail,” to measure mobility and mortality rates of snails exposed to higher temperatures.

“A lot of the skills that I learned from Biology of Cells lab were refined in my own research, but I also used my English skills that I learned from writing new insights into my paper to thinking critically about the work that I am doing too,” said Bailey-Schofield. “All the lessons I’ve learned from UMass Dartmouth have been readily applicable and used to benefit the world we all share.”