Tami M.
“Pursuing marine biology has been the best decision I have ever made.”
Unity opens doors to possibility, taking this student from online classes to global internships in South Africa and Iceland.
At seven years old, Tami stood at the shoreline staring out at the ocean, captivated by something she could not yet name. The feeling stayed with her, even as life led in a different direction.
For more than a decade, she built a stable career as a dental hygienist while raising her son as a single mother. When her son turned 16, the physical strain of her career combined with emotional burnout and a workplace injury during the COVID-19 pandemic brought her to a crossroads. Facing uncertainty, Tami began asking what she truly wanted from her life. The answer led her back to the sea.
“At age 42, I finally decided it was time to follow the dream I had carried since childhood,” Tami says. “Pursuing marine biology has been the best decision I have ever made.”
Living in western New York, Tami knew traditional marine biology programs were not an option. Relocating was not realistic and her responsibilities as a parent came first. Unity allowed her to pursue a BS in Marine Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture without uprooting her life.
Flexibility brought her to Unity. Support is what made her stay.
“What ultimately set Unity apart was that it offered far more than just flexibility,” she explains. “Free tutoring, consistent support from advisors and instructors, and a strong sense of community made me feel seen. Even online, I felt like I belonged.”
Her education quickly extended beyond the screen. Through Unity’s job and internship services, Tami secured hands-on internships in South Africa and Iceland. Being immersed in unfamiliar environments pushed her out of her comfort zone and taught her to adapt quickly, communicate across cultures, and solve problems in real time.
In South Africa, she gained confidence through field-based marine work that strengthened her commitment to conservation. In Iceland, she faced intellectual and personal challenges that built independence and a global perspective on environmental issues. Together, these internships shaped her growth as both a scientist and a person.
Unity’s coursework reflected that same practical focus. Assignments centered on real conservation challenges, science communication, and applied decision making. The skills translated quickly into professional success. Through Handshake, Unity’s career platform, Tami recently accepted a role as a STEM Educator and Coral Restoration Technician at Florida Sea Base in Summerland Key, Florida. In the coral nursery, she monitors water quality using a YSI multi-parameter device and batch feeds seven coral species to support their growth before transplanting them back onto natural reefs.
While the career transition is meaningful, Tami measures success most deeply through her role as a mother. Now continuing into Unity’s Marine Conservation Biology graduate program, she hopes her journey shows her son that growth never has an expiration date.
“I want him to see that challenges don’t set limits,” she says. “It is possible to rebuild and reinvent yourself at any stage of life. Continuing my education is a way to model resilience, curiosity, and determination.”
Her academic interests now focus on the behavioral ecology of cownose stingrays and their role in coastal ecosystems. Long term, she hopes to combine research, teaching, and mentorship, and one day return to Unity as an instructor to support other nontraditional students pursuing ambitious goals alongside real-world responsibilities.
For Tami, Unity did more than offer an degree. It reconnected her with a part of herself that had been waiting since childhood.
The dream you set aside does not disappear. It waits. Explore Unity’s flexible online programs and discover what is possible at any stage.
