Clare Talbott, a sophomore at the WVU Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, has packed her bags for Vienna for a semester abroad at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences — known as BOKU — one of the foremost natural science universities in Europe.
Talbott, an Elkins native and 2024 WVU Foundation Scholar, is double-majoring in Environmental, Soil and Water Science and Landscape Architecture. She is studying alongside two other WVU students.
“As much as I read about and think about environmental policy, I don’t have a whole lot of firsthand experience with how it’s implemented or the processes that go into it,” Talbott said. “I really want to get that experience and be able to bring it back to West Virginia.”
Talbott’s connection to the outdoors runs deep. She traces her interest in environmental science to an overnight program at WVU where students collected river water samples and conducted field experiments.
“I thought, ‘this is the coolest thing ever!’” she said. “Environmental science has always been something I’m very passionate about. Growing up in West Virginia, I’ve been hiking and camping in the area since I was in first grade and just always really felt connected to it.”
As she was applying to college, Talbott was still weighing natural science against visual art. After her first year at WVU, she found she didn’t have to choose.
“My advisor, Jenna Edwards, got me in touch with Vaike Haas from the landscape architecture department, and that’s when I discovered it was basically a combination of art and science,” Talbott said. “That was the perfect fit to add as a second major because it let me bring in design and other creative elements.”
Before attending WVU, Talbott spent part of her gap year working on an organic farm in Italy through Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), an international agritourism program.
“I spent two and a half months in Italy working on a farm, and it was the best experience ever,” Talbott said. “I highly recommend taking a gap year and doing as many things as you can, because that’s what it’s for. Working on that farm helped direct me toward soil and water science and also made me want to travel even more.”
BOKU’s focus on environmental science made it an ideal destination for a semester abroad.
“I’m really excited to see the cultural differences within how they look at forestry and sustainability, and just getting another perspective on that,” Talbott said.
Outside the classroom, Talbott is active in the Appalachian Advocacy Network and the student Landscape Architecture Association at WVU.
