My current career path is to pursue a career in environmental education as an interpretive ranger or naturalist. I have chosen this path because of my experiences volunteering for the Franklin County Metro Parks. It is very important for me to find a career that makes me happy. My version of happiness is a life of impact on others and our environment and an admiration for the beauty of the outdoors.
To best utilize my time at Ohio State it will be very important to be involved in student and professional organizations, attend networking events, work some internships to gain experience, and gain certifications to become more knowledgeable and marketable to employers. For student organizations, I plan to join the Parks and Recreation Society and a community service organization that will either be Crosswalk Outreach, an organization that feeds the homeless, or a community garden organization. I am already involved in four organizations which are ENR Scholars, Cru at Ohio State, The Ohio State Sierra Club Coalition, and the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and University Center. I am still in the process of researching professional organizations I would like to be involved in. I know that I would like to be involved in at least two organizations and both of them pertaining to natural resource management, outdoor education, and conservation. The certifications I would like to pursue include: Wilderness First Responder Certification, Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association for Interpretation, Wellness Coach Training, Chainsaw Certification, and Wildland Firefighter Certification. For internships, I would like to work at a local federal organization, like the U.S. Corp of Army Engineers or similar organization, or a local park metro park system, like the Preservation Parks Delaware County or a similar organization, my first-year summer. My second-year summer, I would like to have an internship to do interpretive work for the National Park Service at any location that I can get employed. My third-year summer, I would like to study abroad and then research, take classes at OSU’s Stone Lab, and possibly find employment. The more experiences I can have, the more competitive I can be for post-college employment.
After reviewing the jobs I researched and their requirements, I still feel happy with my plan of action over the next couple of years to get where I want to be professionally. Alternate career paths I would potentially pursue include career paths pertaining to the areas of Environment, Economy, Development and Sustainability and Environmental Justice. The School of Environment and Natural Resources has great staff to speak to in order to figure out your next career plan of action and there are a lot of resources to help me figure things out if things do not go as planned. I also plan to become a volunteer EMT once I am settled in a community sometime after graduation to help people in an area outside of the environment in a field that I am passionate about. After having a father who works as a first responder I have a lot of respect for the impact they make on people’s lives, so I hope to do the same by showing up to help on someone’s worst day and try to make it better.
My next steps are to follow this plan to the best of my ability with an open mind. I do not want to become stuck in my ways and embrace learning throughout my life. So, I hope to work my hardest and follow what sparks my interest and see where that path will lead.
