Taking a deep dive into marine biology and music

When he’s not in class, you might find Arthur Galt ’26 scuba diving in Jamestown or playing his trumpet with jazz bands around New England. His URI education has offered him the perfect blend of academic rigor and artistic creativity.

Galt, who grew up in Brooklyn, NY, knew he wanted to study marine biology and oceanography in college, and “URI is one of the schools that comes up when you google ‘best marine biology universities in the U.S.’ That’s how I found it!

“The music program was something I discovered after deciding to attend here. I have met many wonderful friends who share my passion for jazz. I am very grateful for all the unexpected opportunities that the URI music program has given me, including performing at the Newport Jazz Festival with the Rams Jazz Ensemble. It has provided a healthy balance to my rigorous STEM studies.” He has already completed a minor in jazz studies.

All of this was made possible with scholarship support.

“My parents live in NYC with four kids, and three of us are in college at the same time,” said Galt. “They cannot afford to give much financial support, so I have been working and paying for the majority of my own expenses during my time here at URI. It would not be possible without the financial support of scholarships.”

Galt loves his classes and takes advantage of every opportunity to gain hands-on experiences in and around the ocean.

“I can say confidently that my study abroad program in Bermuda has been the highlight of my time at URI,” said Galt. “The most significant experiences for me were the diving classes and pursuing multiple certifications during my time there. I was able to go on scientific dives for both my coral reef and marine invertebrate classes, alongside the safety/rescue training we completed.”

He also worked on a short film in an underwater photography class. He planned the shot list and storyline, diving in frigid water to collect footage, editing the film, and composing original music for it.

“Experiences like these allow me to bring together my interests in a unique way that is super fulfilling,” he said. “Coming into URI, I didn’t expect my science education and art education to overlap so often.”

“I’ve made many connections with peers and learned how to create supportive communities of friends. I’m a lot more confident in my diverse set of skills and know how to advocate for myself both personally and professionally,” he said.

It is an exciting world out there, with oceans of opportunities.