Eddie McDonald

Eddie grew up in Kailua, Hawaii, but graduated from Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. He is studying environmental policy, as a double major in Sustainability Management and Political Science. Eddie serves as Student Government Association President at VWU, and has enjoyed being able to generate an impact on the campus community through the many initiatives he has led.

What is your favorite BHC-related memory?
I ran track in high school, but transitioned to swimming my freshman year at VWU. During COVID, being a part of the Batten Honors College and the Men’s Swim Team allowed me to build life-long relationships during a time when socializing was difficult, to say the least.

Campus Involvement:

• Student Government Association, President.
  SGA has allowed me to make a positive impact on my campus community. Some of my proudest achievements are adding the Mental Health Crisis Response Clause to the Student Handbook, and hosting our Cuddles and Coffee event, when we have puppies from the Virginia Beach SPCA and a local Coffee Truck come to campus the day before Finals start.

What is the most prominent skill that you have gained as a BHC student?
The emphasis placed on experiential learning in the Batten Honors College has been instrumental in my academic and career development. I spent two weeks in Barcelona as part of the HON 200: The Peoples and Culture of Barcelona, which was very eye opening to me, Additionally, by working with the Lighthouse, I was able to extend my stay in Europe an extra 10 days to solo-backpack across my ancestral homeland of Calabria, Italy.

What are your future goals after graduation?
These hands-on experiences encouraged me to apply for summer jobs in my field, and I’ve spent the past two summers working as a Forestry-Aid for the U.S. Forest Service. With the BHC’s partnership with Duke University, I will be able to attend Nicholas’s School of Environment Science to get my Masters of Science in Forestry and work for the U.S. Forest Service.