Chloe Wetzler, a second-year Master of Environmental Management (MEM) and Juris Doctor (JD) concurrent degree student, recently shared insights into why she's pursuing concurrent degrees, advice for students considering the concurrent degree path and her favorite memory so far.

Why did you choose to pursue a concurrent degree with the MEM?

I chose to pursue the concurrent degree because it seemed like a best of both worlds path. I get to take the interdisciplinary marine science and management courses that really fascinate me along with some of the more practical career-oriented classes that will serve me working in the intersection of law and policy. I think the MEM/JD makes me a unique candidate when applying for positions because I have all the practical skills of a law student with some deeper subject matter knowledge that my Coastal and Marine Systems (CAMS) and Environmental Economics and Policy classes have provided.

What skills or experiences did you gain across the concurrent degree program that WILL BE beneficial in your professional life?

In interviews for environmental law positions, I have the scientific literacy and fluency in technical language that allows me to really understand why certain choices are being made on the law and policy side of things that I would not be able to fully grasp if I didn’t have a solid foundation in environmental and marine science. Also, knowing about what policy and law levers have huge impacts on the reality of restoration work or coastal management allows me to focus on the big picture of what’s at stake and what can be done.

What advice would you give to students considering a concurrent degree path or currently in the program?

I highly encourage it! It has allowed me to specialize in both the content matter I am most passionate about and the practical, management side of things as well. If you have doubts, reach out to professors who teach courses that interest you or have worked in the field you are interested in to check and see if they think it’s a good fit. That helped me a lot in deciding.

What is your favorite memory from your time in the program?

It is a little bittersweet scheduling-wise, that now as a 1L I no longer get to be with my CAMS cohort who have moved down to Beaufort, North Carolina, to study at the Duke Marine Lab. So taking a weekend to go visit them was one of my favorite memories this semester.