Andrew Davis
Finding Purpose in Creation: Environmental Science Senior Davis Advocates for Experiential Learning
Andrew Davis is skipping his final track meet to go on a weekend field trip. After a decade of competitive running, the Southern Wesleyan University senior’s sacrifice demonstrates his passion for his major—environmental science—and speaks volumes about the transformative power of experiential learning.
“If I could go back, I’d miss more meets for these trips,” Davis reflects. “The experiences are just that important.”
Davis will talk about his field experiences to anyone who will listen. What began as a chance encounter with SWU President Dr. Bill Barker outside Blue Hill turned into an opportunity for Davis to advocate for a program that has shaped Davis’s college experience and professional goals. “He asked why these experiences were so important,” Davis recalls, “and I explained how they’ve shaped our education and our lives.” Davis went on to present his experiences to the President’s Cabinet.
But before Davis could have his life changed at SWU, he had to enroll here, and the Greenwood, South Carolina native never imagined attending Southern Wesleyan. “I had a horrible knee injury my junior year of high school, experienced my first breakup, and was confused about what God was doing in my life,” Davis shares.
But a visit to campus changed everything. “We pulled into the main entrance and saw ‘Victory’ on the screen at the track,” he remembers. “I knew in my heart that I needed to be here.”
Like many first-year students, Davis arrived with one career path in mind and discovered another. He entered as a pre-veterinary major but found his true calling in environmental science after taking a course with Dr. Jeff Mohr.
“I’ve never been so excited about a class,” Davis says. “Many of my friends thought it was awful and hard, but I was having fun.”
Davis praises the faculty who have shaped his SWU experience, including Dr. Mohr, Dr. Michele Eller, and Dr. Staci Johnson. “All my professors care about their students on a deep level,” he explains. “They know my facial expressions now and can tell when I have a question before I even ask it.”
SWU’s small class sizes and personal connections with professors have been critical to Davis’s development. “In high school, I was scared to ask questions. Here, professors say, ‘We’re getting paid to teach you. We enjoy teaching you. Just ask us.’”
Dr. Mohr has influenced Davis’s career goals. Davis wants to teach, so he’s applied to the marine biology master’s program at the College of Charleston and plans to focus on herpetology, the study of amphibians and reptiles, which just happens to be Dr. Mohr’s scholarly specialty. .
“Amphibians and reptiles don’t get a lot of love in conservation,” Davis explains. “I feel God has laid it on my heart to be someone who protects the creatures others overlook.”
Beyond academic growth, Davis has experienced profound spiritual development through environmental science. “Under Dr. Mohr’s guidance, I realized taking care of God’s creation is one of the first things God ever told us to do,” he says.
Davis's passion for hands-on learning has opened doors both on and off campus. In 2023, Davis secured an internship at the Greenville Zoo, where he worked with endangered red pandas and even had the privilege of naming some of them. Last summer, he traveled to the Pacific Northwest, visiting Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, and Lewis and Clark National Historic Park. These trips have provided more than just scientific knowledge. “The learning you get is extremely beneficial,” Davis says, “and my closest friends on campus are the people I got to know through these trips.”
As Davis approaches graduation, he’s passionate about ensuring future students have the same opportunities that have shaped his SWU experience. When asked what he would tell prospective science students about Southern Wesleyan, he doesn’t hesitate.
“The study away program is a big one,” he emphasizes, “and the Christian-based education helps you engage with scientific concepts while developing your faith. It changed my life.”