My name is Ecy McIlvain. I am from outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While in high school I was involved in the Ecology Club and several community service projects which explored and helped to conserve the environment. Currently, I am a Junior majoring in Biology at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. My course of study has allowed me to make many field trips into the different ecosystems surrounding my college. This fall I am taking the biggest "field trip" of my life. I have chosen to participate in the School for Field Studies' Rainforest Management Program because I am interested in learning more about the ways in which we can use the resources on our planet in a more respectful and conservative fashion. I am excited to learn about an ecosystem so different from the lakes and mountains of New England.