"It was an early Christmas present getting into Humboldt," said Mark Seymour. A stop on the way between Sacramento and his hometown of Bellingham, Washington around Thanksgiving led to a visit to Humboldt State University, and a very last-minute acceptance letter. "I knew I wanted to be in California and I'd been in Santa Cruz and then in Sacramento, but I wanted to be closer to home," said Mark. "Arcata is so similar to my hometown. Nature and the outdoors are a part of life here." Two years into his undergraduate degree, Mark plans on working with habitat restoration after graduation. "I want to be an integral part in bringing watersheds back nearer to their natural state. Reversing the effects of people and time is doable though it takes enormous effort on many facets," Mark said. A Master's degree may be in his future, but he's decided to have a go at the job market first. "I'm so grateful for it, every little bit helps," Mark said on receiving the scholarship. "After being in a crunch, everything helps."