Written by Megan Krussman, a Spring 2020 alum and Summer 2026 Research Technician

This summer, Megan Krussman, Spring 2020 alumna, returned to The Island School as a research technician with the Cape Eleuthera Institute. During her time back on campus, Megan reflected on her experience as a student and how it has impacted her life.

As a sophomore in high school, I heard about The Island School through a friend, and after doing some research on their website, I  knew it was an experience I wanted to have.

While I worked on my application, I had a picture of students jumping off High Rock stuck to the ceiling above my bed as a reminder of the dream I had to come to Eleuthera. Luckily, that dream came true, but unfortunately, it was cut short by COVID-19. Students were sent home after only 21 days on Eleuthera.

Leaving The Island School—and the adventure I had been envisioning—so abruptly was incredibly difficult. Despite the unorthodox online Island School semester I was a part of, I dove into The Island School’s core values of living well in a place and leadership effecting change. On Eleuthera, I was able to learn to scuba dive, completed a sea kayaking trip, and began to engage in coral research. Through these experiences, I found a deep love for marine ecosystems. In the years since, The Island School has shaped my personal, academic, and career aspirations.

My time as a student instilled a desire for experiential education, and the shortened time on campus due to COVID-19 built resiliency in me, which led to me attending Colorado College, where I completed a degree in organismal biology and ecology.

I spent my summers and study abroad pursuing marine science research, including coral reef conservation in Thailand and Honduras; sailing from New Zealand to Tahiti researching deep-sea marine biodiversity; and completing my divemaster. Throughout these experiences, I continued to ask what it meant to live well in a place, focused on creating intentional community, and questioned how the research I was conducting would lead to tangible conservation and management. In the back of my mind, I continued to think about returning to Eleuthera to continue to learn from this place. 

This summer I found my way back to Eleuthera as a research technician for the Marine Mammal Research team at the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI). I was learning from Natalie Hodges, researching the Exuma Sound and the marine mammals that use this habitat as an important foraging ground. Most notably, this summer I saw pilot whales and sperm whales for the first time, collected drone footage of bottlenose dolphins, and helped to teach the Island School Summer Term students about the Exuma Sound.

Returning after six years created a meaningful way for me to pass along my love for this ecosystem and place with a new set of students. 

This summer I was also able to put my divemaster skills to good use by assisting with the students’ scuba week and their weekly fun dives. Learning to dive as a student reshaped my perspective on the world, unlocking immense curiosity and love of marine ecosystems. This summer felt like a full circle as I introduced students to one of the most life-changing experiences that The Island School provided me with. I supported students through their nerves and witnessed their excitement when first diving in The Bahamas.

These moments were truly special to me as I was able to help pass along the joy and awe of connecting with the underwater world in such a special way. 

This fall, I am beginning a new chapter as I head to the University of St. Andrews to complete my Master’s in Marine Mammal Science. The time I spent at The Island School in 2020 and this past summer at CEI have helped to shape who I am today. The Island School has—and will always have—a special place in my heart, where I found my love for the ocean, my drive for marine conservation, and my understanding of the importance of community.