2005-06 Student Recognition Award
One student was honored with the 2005-06 CIEE Student Recognition Award at the Seville Conference: Deren Eaton from the CIEE Study Center in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Deren overcame tremendous obstacles while on the program and excelled as a student and as a person because of his choice to meet these challenges head-on.
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Read what Alan Masters, Resident Director of the CIEE Study Center in Monteverde, Costa Rica had to say about his student's ordeal and triumphs while abroad:
Deren Eaton faced more than culture shock and rice and beans on the Fall 2005 CIEE Tropical Ecology and Conservation program in Costa Rica. On the fourth day of the program, our first night camping in a rainforest, Deren was bitten by a poisonous snake. His story of surviving the ordeal and completing the program with academic excellence is a testament to his bravery, tenacity, and heartfelt dedication.
Like all participants, Deren was eager to see the tropical rainforest. Upon arriving in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park with CIEE staff and fellow students, Deren pitched his tent, took a swim, and went exploring. That night, Deren was bitten on the foot by a venomous snake. Resident staff immediately brought him to a clinic where a special serum could be administered to neutralize the snake’s venom. During the ten days of his initial recovery, he missed four field sites, Scarlet Macaws, Humpback Whales, insects, plants, frogs, and birds. Though he had only known the other program participants for two days, Deren’s greatest concern was reuniting with them.
Three days back in the field, Deren suffered a severe allergic reaction to the serum, causing hives over his entire body. In hopes of calming the itching, Deren decided to snorkel off shore. Forty-five minutes later, Deren came out of the ocean, a big smile on his face. He walked up to the Resident Director (without crutches), looked him in the eye, and said that he wanted to stay.
We all have students whose decision to stay is an act of courage. Deren’s case is truly remarkable. In spite of his difficulties, Deren not only persevered but excelled. He went on to score in the top five on the first field practical, largely on material covered while he was in the hospital. He did an outstanding job on all subsequent assignments and enthusiastically participated in all activities. Deren’s independent project was a very interesting and a technically challenging comparison of fungal interactions with terrestrial and epiphytic orchids. For his homestay, Deren selected a very simple rural family and walked miles a day to and from class on his newly healed foot. Deren’s demeanor, humor, resiliency, love of life, and sincere interest in Costa Rica and its commitment to conservation all led to his success.