Walterboro, South Carolina (29488), resident Leslie Akerley has been applying the tools of science, education and conservation to become a leader in the conservation community. In December 2024, Akerley concluded her master’s course of study with a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Biology from Miami University through Project Dragonfly.
Since joining the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) master’s in 2022, Akerley has traveled to Thailand and taken courses on the web from Miami University while also conducting projects that have made a difference in the Walterboro area.
Throughout her time in the AIP, Akerley developed a Master Plan - a kind of personal mission statement for what she wanted to accomplish in the program. In many of the master’s courses, Akerley designed projects that supported this plan, which culminated in a final portfolio, “A Journey Of Discovery Through Conservation,” presented in a Capstone course.
Akerley works as a math interventionist at Woodland Middle School.
The AIP is a master’s degree program offered by Miami University with experiential learning and community engagement at affiliated AIP sites across the U.S. Project Dragonfly is based in the Department of Biology at Miami University, a state university in Oxford, Ohio. Learn more at https://miamioh.edu/cas/graduate-studies/project-dragonfly/advanced-inquiry-program/index.html.
Established in 1809, Miami University is consistently ranked among the top 50 national public universities by the U.S. News & World Report for providing students with an Ivy League-quality education at a public school price. Located in quintessential college town Oxford, Ohio-with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg-Miami serves more than 22,600 undergraduates across more than 100 areas of study, and more than 2,200 graduate students through 78 master’s and doctoral degree programs. At this comprehensive research university, students engage and conduct research with premiere teacher-scholars. Miami adds $2.3 billion each year to Ohio’s economy through innovative partnerships and job creation. Miami is an NCAA Division I school, serving more than 500 student-athletes across 19 varsity sports. For more information, visit MiamiOH.edu.
