Kristen McCluskey shines in and out of the water
From her love of the ocean to her passion for soccer, Kristen McCluskey continues her strong presence in extracurricular. Photo Contributed by: Kristen McCluskey
For second-year University of Rhode Island student Kristen McCluskey, involvement in extracurriculars is an important part of her college career.
McCluskey, originally from Hopkinton, Mass., started her career at URI under the wildlife conservation major before switching to a double major in marine biology and marine affairs.
“As a kid, I always loved animals and the ocean,” McCluskey said. “I knew I wanted to do something like that. In high school I liked science subjects better.”
McCluskey said she was influenced greatly by the opportunities of URI’s Bay Campus and reputable marine programs when making the decision to shift her major.
Even apart from the classroom, McCluskey’s passion for the environment and the ocean shows itself through her perusal of her scuba diving certification. Currently, McCluskey is enrolled in a non-credit course offered by URI in order to become certified in the safety protocols to become a professional scuba diver.
“[We] learn everything that you have to do before you do an actual open dive in the ocean,” McCluskey said. “I have classes and then they lead up to an open diver that will be at the Bay Campus. Once I get that certification I could take any other type of course.”
McCluskey said after she receives her certification, she hopes to take URI’s underwater photography class (AFS 395). She also said that she would love to utilize her scuba diving skills in her post-graduation career in order to carry out marine life research projects.
Along with her love for the environment, McCluskey has a passion for soccer that she has pursued since childhood. Currently, she plays as the goalkeeper for URI’s club soccer team.
“I’ve been playing soccer my whole life,” McCluskey said. “Basically since I was a little kid. My mom just threw me into it and I guess it’s one of the sports that stuck with me.”
McCluskey said that she preferred the club team over the University’s D1 women’s soccer team due to her busy schedule and having less time for a strict schedule and commitment.
Her dedication to her goalkeeper position began during her middle school years, when she decided she wanted to try out the more versatile position.
“I always did like both goalkeeper and playing out in the field,” McCluskey said. “I decided to just go deeper and I found it a lot more fun and engaging so I decided to stick with it.”
Kaitlan Machado, a fellow second-year double majoring in History and Anthropology and one of McCluskey’s suitemates this year, said that she was drawn to McCluskey since they met at Rhodyfest as first-year students.
“I remember seeing her and getting along pretty well,” Machado said. “From there we ended up grabbing food. I was kind of intimidated at first because she seemed really cool and even though that still holds true, she really is a kind person. She always looks out for you and makes you feel welcome which is something that drew me to being her friend.”
McCluskey said she’s not positive what her career will look like after her undergraduate years yet, but that she believes being at URI and part of the University’s environment is leading her in the right direction.
“Everyone is so involved and everyone is super nice to each other,” McCluskey said. “That’s definitely the environment I wanted to be in.”
Kaitlan Machado, a fellow second-year double majoring in History and Anthropology and one of McCluskey’s suitemates this year, said that she was drawn to McCluskey since they met at Rhodyfest as first-year students.
“I remember seeing her and getting along pretty well,” Machado said. “From there we ended up grabbing food. I was kind of intimidated at first because she seemed really cool and even though that still holds true, she really is a kind person. She always looks out for you and makes you feel welcome which is something that drew me to being her friend.”
McCluskey said she’s not positive what her career will look like after her undergraduate years yet, but that she believes being at URI and part of the University’s environment is leading her in the right direction.
“Everyone is so involved and everyone is super nice to each other,” McCluskey said. “That’s definitely the environment I wanted to be in.”