I interviewed Andrew Wilk for my alumni interview reflection. He is in his second year of his master’s program and is currently involved in studying the effects of wildfires on salamander populations in the southern parts of Appalachia. He majored in FFW with a specialization in fisheries and wildlife. However, he started out wanting to study engineering, but quickly realized he wanted to do something with biology. His switch to biology led him to his interest and an eventual switch to fisheries and wildlife, so he could play an active part in researching and helping animals. He shared about his time in scholars and talked about his friends and many fun memories he made while in the program. He talked about his involvement and internships in multiple wildlife and conservation groups and services, like the Water Quality Council for the city of Columbus or the Smithsonian Conservation and Biology Institute.
Andrew was exceedingly insightful into what the ENR core classes would look like and what you can learn from them. He talked about what resources could help prepare me for fieldwork and if I did eventually want to do research, who I could reach out to to get involved. He was involved in multiple clubs including Archery Club and OSU chapter of Fisheries and Wildlife Society, where he served as vice president for a year and president for another year. He stressed the importance of getting involved with clubs and organizations that can get you connections and insight into your desired field. He discussed the need to stand out to professors by being in clubs tied to SENR, asking questions in class, and by getting to know your professors. He was very helpful in helping me understand the professional and job world within the ENR majors.
I learned that it is incredibly important to shake hands and learn the names of as many people as I can, because you never know where an opportunity or job could arise. I should get involved with as many clubs, organizations, and research teams a possible over my four years here, to get my name out and to show my skills and passion for environmental science. It is okay to mess up in research or your job if you can receive criticism and react to it with integrity and modesty. Admit mistakes and do not be afraid to ask for help or clarification. It is better to ask for help multiple times and do it right, rather than mess it up and ask for forgiveness. I will try to put myself out there and get involved with groups and organization that I normally would not associate with. I also learned that when I interview, I should be confident, ask them question and be very formal. I should also know my resume very well and be able to answer their questions with ease.
Overall, I would say that my conversation with Andrew was extremely helpful in getting me more acquainted with not only the ENR world, but with scholars and how I can play a more active role within it, such as by being a mentor or by staying on LC. He was very wise and very enjoyable to talk to.