Ecology and Environmental Sciences

What did you study while at UMaine?

I studied ecology and environmental science with a concentration in aquatic ecosystems and wetlands. I also earned a minor in outdoor leadership.

What has your career path looked like after graduation?

After graduating, I took some time to travel through the American Southwest on my bike. Afterwards, I immediately started work at Nature’s Classroom, a nonprofit educational facility in Charlton, Massachusetts. In my position here, I have found that I can teach a variety of topics to kids, including examining macroinvertebrates to understand river ecology, social-emotional learning, and the responsible harvest of wild edibles in the woods, as well as many other subjects. I plan on continuing work with Nature’s Classroom in the spring and fall seasons, as well as working with nonprofit camps in the summers. In the winter, I plan to take time for personal growth and development through traveling with my bike and packraft to new places around the world!

What impact did your time at UMaine have on your current career?

UMaine has had such a positive impact on my current career. Through my classes, jobs, professors, and peers at UMaine, I have grown so much as an individual, a scientist, and an educator. UMaine not only gave me all of the tools I needed for success in my post-college career but also helped me make lifelong connections and a greater appreciation for the natural world around me!

What is the most beneficial thing taken from your time at UMaine?

The best way to grow is to challenge yourself through finding new adventures, communities, experiences, and places. At each one of these moments, take time to reflect and recognize how you have changed as a person. This doesn’t necessarily mean to get on a plane and get dropped in the middle of a foreign country (all though it could). It means everything from talking to a new person (as uncomfortable as that can be), trying a new food, asking questions in class, walking on a new trail in the university forest, or even waking up early one day to see the sunrise. While uncomfortable at first, through these experiences you will learn more about yourself, others, and the world surrounding us.

What advice do you have for current EES students eager to get into the field?

Getting your first job out of college can be really stressful, but it is an incredible learning experience. Start looking for jobs that interest you at least 4 months before you plan to go into the workforce. It can take much longer than expected to hear back from applications, interviews, and even second interviews. Just be patient, and don’t be afraid to send emails with a little check-in! If an interview doesn’t go well, that is totally okay, just make sure that you have time to reflect and learn from mistakes before your next interview. Lastly, when applying for jobs, it can be really easy to overlook seasonal positions. While they often pay much less per hour than permanent positions, they often offer housing and food included in your salary, which makes an extremely easy transition out of college and greatly reduces the cost of your living expenses!