BIDDEFORD — A seal dissection and learning about the marine mammal’s anatomy was one student’s favorite part of a marine science course for high school students taught at the University of New England. Capturing sea forms by net, studying them and then releasing them was a favorite activity of another student, while another person in the class said he enjoyed watching the release of harbor seal pups at Granite Point.

The 18 high school students, from Maine and other parts of the country, participated in the marine science course taught by UNE Assistant Lecturer Leah Bymers. Many of them said they liked the varied aspects of the class, which combined lectures, lab work and field work. The two-week course ended Friday, leaving successful students with three college credits.

UNE’s location is ideal for such a course, said Bymers, because “there are so many ecology systems nearby.” Most of the class field trips took place in nearby Biddeford Pool.

The goal of the course, said Bymers, was to provide the scholars with a glimpse of college, as well as expose them to a variety of marine science life and experiences.

Suzie Scher, a high school senior from Manhattan, said she believed both goals were achieved, at least in her experience. Scher said she felt she had a real college experience, including living with a roommate and attending lectures, during her two-week stay.

She said she also enjoyed exposure to the varied marine science experiences of the program, such as visiting mud flats and salt marshes, going on a whale watching tour and viewing a seal dissection in one of the university’s labs.

Scher, like a number of her classmates, said she decided to take the course because she is interested in marine science. Scher said she plans to study marine science in college and is interested in wildlife rehabilitation as a career.

“Since the (marine animal) rehabilitation center is here, it’s a great place to go to college,” said Scher about UNE.

Jon Moses, a senior from Saco, said he took the course because, “I’m interested in going into either fisheries or marine biology as a career or in college.”

He said he liked the class because, “It’s a lot of hands-on stuff, which is really good.”

For Carrie Zuk, a senior from Carlisle, Mass., she said her attraction to the course was “because I wanted something in biology. It’s really fun,” said Zuk, “I wish it was longer.”

Maggie Jacobson, a junior from Cape Elizabeth, agreed the course was fun. She said she hasn’t taken biology in school yet but she did have an interest in marine life. During the course, she said, she enjoyed studying anatomy and plans to study marine or human biology in college.

Likewise Kristen Raskauskas, a junior from Brighton, Mich., said she was interested in studying either land or marine biology when she goes to college. Her experience at UNE was helping her with her decision, she said.

“I’m really starting to choose marine biology because this stuff is really interesting,” said Raskauskas. “I’ve loved every second of it.”

“It’s been really interesting and better than expected,” said Claire Miller, a senior from Waterbury, Vt.

Bymers said the students have been “great.”

“They have a lot of excitement for the marine environment which makes it fun for everyone,” she said. “They ask good questions and they have a wide variety of interests, which helps create good discussion.”

Currently, the marine science course is the only one offered to high school students at UNE that allows them to earn college credit, said Audrey Gup-Mathews, who is UNE’s director of continuing education and summer programs.

Next summer, however, she said the university plans to expand the high school student summer program and offer other courses, such as visual arts, biology and writing.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.