Unity Alumni Interviews*Click on the Job Title to read their story*

Citizen Outreach Director
Fund for Public Interest Research
Tony Cardosa '03

After Jody Simoes graduated from Unity College in 1996 with a degree in wildlife, he embarked on a series of "seasonal, paid poorly, but lots of fun" jobs in eight different states, working on everything from songbirds to elk. Five years later, Jody landed his first full-time job as the Land Protection Specialist for the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, where he continues to work today.

The SWMLC works to protect natural, historic, and scenic landscapes and encourages ecologically sound land practices, enabling individuals and organizations to protect land while also providing opportunities and sites for education, research, outdoor recreation, and nature study. Jody's job includes managing volunteers and working with a committee to identify important lands and monitor land protection projects. The job also entails working directly with landowners to help them permanently protect their property through donations, purchases of property, and property rights.

He remarks that no one in his position went to school for what they are doing. "This position relies on a knowledge of real estate, estate planning, legal document drafting, income tax laws and IRS laws. It draws on so many different disciplines that I had no knowledge of, making it the most challenging job I've had." For those interested in this line of work, he suggests volunteering or interning for a local Land Trust or The Nature Conservancy to gain experience.

While a senior at Unity, Jody had already worked for two graduate students and thought about going to graduate school, but it was hard for his to imagine preparing for it with his own graduation pending. Always looking to gain more experience, it was not until the time period just before he landed his current job that Jody was seriously thinking about graduate school. "I felt I had worn out all my options, and unless I cared to make 7-8 dollars an hour, I needed to get a higher degree. Additionally, I felt I really knew why and what grad school was all about. It finally seemed attainable." Jody says he still considers going back to school someday, but having found work he can make a career out of, it seems less likely that he will change paths again.

His advice to graduating seniors is, "In general, take the temporary/seasonal positions. Don't be afraid to move around, meet new people, see new states, and get a variety of experience working for different people and agencies, state, federal, NGO's etc. Assure your parents that this is what it takes! Because it does! Working on a variety of projects will broaden your perspective as well as your work experience and resume. It will help you decide what you really want to do and what you really want to be applying for."

"If I had only one message for Unity grads: Do something in your field EVERY SUMMER while you are at Unity. Then begin to think seriously about grad school."

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

Hannah Smith '97
Hannah measuring lobsters for DMR

Hannah Smith ('97) started working as a seasonal conservation aide with the state of Maine Department of Marine Resources during her summers while attending Unity College as a Conservation Law Enforcement major, and has remained with the state since. From 1998 to the present, she has been employed by the Maine DMR Public Health Division as a Marine Specialist doing water quality, clam management, and red tide testing. There was also a special limited period position she held from 2001-02 on the Maine/New Hampshire Inshore Trawl survey, an extensive study of bottom dwelling populations of groundfish and crustaceans.

Working for a state agency is a job that entails many different duties. Hannah surveys sources of pollution, analyzes shellfish and water to test for toxin levels that affect the quality of shellfish for human consumption, and coordinates and conducts fieldwork with area biologists, marine patrol officers, D.E.P inspectors, municipal officials, conservation aides, and volunteer groups to complete field investigations. All this information must be put together, so duties also include writing public reports and official documents composed from an array of statistical information and field data. An advantage of the job for sea-lovers is that it requires one to become skilled in the navigation of a twenty-foot watercraft in marine waters with the aide of navigational charts, compass, and GPS unit.

I asked Hannah some questions about getting a job with the state and how she feels about it. The following is part of our interview.

Q: Do you have any advice for people entering this field?
A: Expect strong competition but be persistent and continue education.

Q: What do you think students should do to prepare themselves to find a job?
A: Be patient; I have been through a lot of interviews. Be flexible; there are a lot of jobs in this field, but they are scattered across the US and out of the country.

Q: What is the most satisfying aspect of your job? What is the most challenging?
A: Most satisfying would be having a lot of independence, working outside, educational opportunities, and flexible schedule. The most challenging aspects are time management and trying to constantly maintain good public relations.

Q: How did your experience at Unity help you out in your career? Do you think going to Unity affected your life positively?
A: The hands-on education was very important. The small classes were great, as it allowed for direct attention and better relationships with classmates and the professors. A lot of my classes were taught in a real world environment. This was very helpful once I graduated and became employed.

Q: What kind of careers were you thinking about while still going to school?
A: I looked at and thought about all sorts of careers. I wanted to stay in Maine and was looking for an outside field position. I kind of just ended up where I am, but I am working with the environment studying and cleaning up pollution problems, so I feel as though I am using my degree.

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

Hauns "Doc" Bassett,'97

Hauns graduated with an environmental education degree from Unity and is now working for the Chewonki Foundation as the manager of the Big Eddy Campground. He oversees the maintenance of an 80-acre campsite where his duties include registering guests, enforcing the campground rules and giving natural history walks and talks. He has been on the staff since 2000, starting in an environmental education position, but when Chewonki bought the campground in 2002, no one else had any prior campground experience and he took over the job.

Hauns loves his current position and finds many rewarding qualities in it. "It is truly heartwarming to see families visiting the campground leave on the last day happy, relaxed, full of stories and exited to come back for another week next summer". But there are also hard parts to deal with too. Not everyone respects the woods and he has to spend a lot of time convincing people to follow the campground guidelines.

One thing Hauns advises students is to not underestimate the value of their classes, as he has used almost all of the information learned from his classes, from science to oral communication. Getting a broad variety of educational and work experiences is another suggestion. He is especially grateful for his time with AmeriCorps running a state park in Vermont, which provided valuable experience and training.

Hauns also encourages volunteer work and student activities as a good way to try new things. At Unity, he was the director of the Emergency Response Team, where he learned to facilitate meetings and manage volunteers, providing a real sense of pride in helping out sick or hurt students. A work-study position for the Unity College Health Center gave Hauns the opportunity to do secretarial and computer work that he had never done before.

While attending Unity, Hauns was faced with making a choice between two big career paths; quit school and join his family lobstering to make enough money to buy some land and build a farm, or stay in school, graduate with a large debt, and pursue a more traditional life. He does not regret his decision; "I love my job, use my education daily and have a wonderful future ahead of me."

When asked about how he felt about his experience at Unity, he replied that, "I did not realize at the time what a life altering place Unity would turn out to be for me. I often tell young people interested in college that Unity was by and far the best thing that ever happened to me. I can honestly say that I use my education every day at work and in my personal life."

His parting words were directed towards the students, "The school is only as good and special as its student body. If the students do not care, then why should the faculty? Embrace your time at Unity, it lasts only a short while. You can and probably will always be drawn back to the campus but never again will it be the same once you leave."

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

Life seldom turns out how one plans it, and that is why it is so important to learn as much as possible from your opportunities and be open to any possibility. Russell Paterson graduated from Unity College in December 1999 with a BS in fisheries, but he ended up entering a different field after graduation. While still in school, he worked at New England Organics in Unity as part of the summer field staff and never left, eventually working his way up to project manager. While not what he intended to do, Russell thinks that his work "is vital to sustaining a healthy environment."

Russell chose a fisheries major because of his passion for fish, and while his job searches yielded some promising opportunities within the fisheries field, he quickly discovered that the pay for the beginning positions was more like a stipend than a salary. Russell found that "As my responsibilities increased at NEO, I found that there was no way I could afford to change employment to the fisheries industry, remain a resident of Maine, and maintain my lifestyle."

New England Organics "provides removal, transportation, recycling, processing and marketing of organic resources -including short paper fiber, ash, wood wastes, biosolids and compost." Some of the duties of Russell's job include site and materials testing, monitoring project costs vs. budget and goals, managing regulatory reporting and compliance and coordinating transportation and site operation. He also secures residual utilization sites, performs site assessments, files permit applications and involves the company in community relations that promote a good company reputation and image.

He considers the best parts of his job to be the opportunities to manage projects that he considers environmental success stories. What is frustrating for him is that the regulatory climate and public perception has become increasingly hostile to the type of recycling NEO performs and that it can be hard working against all the controversy.

Staying in Maine after graduation was an important factor, but now Russell would be more open to employment in other locations. Because of his educational and employment experiences, he would consider opportunities in fisheries management, land use planning/management, environmental consulting, waste management industries, or going to graduate school.

Russell feels that going to Unity helped him learn to communicate and think. Important skills, as he has found that to find employment, "good communication is essential, and you have to be willing to work." He also suggests that "Students should get out there and learn what types of jobs and careers there are and try to make the best of it."

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

After graduating from Unity in 2000, Shaun Oshman decided to ride his bike from Maine to Iowa, where he worked for a horticultural photographer for a few months. From there he ended up in Tucson, AZ, working as a crew leader of a tree crew for six months. He moved back to Iowa to work as the assistant manager of a small organic vegetable farm for almost a year. After that he moved to Pennsylvania and worked as a substitute teacher, a swim instructor for the YMCA, a teacher naturalist for the Ashland Nature Center in DE, and did tree work on the side for extra cash.

After all those varied experiences, Shaun found his current job, working as the Earth Education Director at YMCA Camp Ockanickon in Medford, New Jersey. He is responsible for the environmental education programs that are offered at the three summer camps as well as to the school groups that come to the camp in the off season. His job includes scheduling, staff training, program development, budgeting, risk management, and marketing; some of these tasks prove to be a challenge for him.

Shaun started off as an OR major but became disillusioned by it for a number of reasons. He had always loved the outdoors and had an urge to understand it as much as he could and take that knowledge and spread it with others in the wilderness. He had little interest in extreme adventure sports and changed his major to Urban and Community Forestry because he liked trees, which he now admits is not a very good reason to be in the major. He probably should have majored in Environmental Education, but it ended up working out for him anyway.

"My experience at Unity did help me quite a bit. I'd like to say that the hard skills that I picked up at Unity are most useful but those are really peripherals that come into play when you encounter someone who is expert in the same field (which is not so often). The most valuable thing to succeed in any job is good interpersonal skills and those could be picked up while working at the CRC or at a keg party! Either way, they are invaluable. Unity did affect me in a positive way."

He feels the biggest trick is to find out what you are truly passionate about. Following through on that passion is usually a lot easier that finding out what it is. He advises students to not worry about money and do what they love. "If you continue to follow your passion, the money will follow. There are two routes that one can choose: either you could get a job that makes good money and spend your free time pursuing your passion or you could choose to pursue your passion as your living and not make as much money. To choose your passion as you career does require a certain amount of sacrifice in the beginning because these fields are structured to weed out those who just want a short term groovy experience by not paying anyone that well when they start. The more you know about a particular field and if you have the drive to put that skill into practice, the more money you will make and the more challenge you will constantly put on yourself."

YMCA Camp Ockanickon where Shaun works is currently looking for people to work there this summer. There are many positions, ranging from counselors and ropes course instructors to environmental educators. The jobs are listed on the CRC website, and the website for Camp Ockanickon can be found at www.ycamp.org

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

Katie Merrill loves being a ranger. She graduated with an emphasis in Park Management Interpretation in 2000 and spent subsequent seasons working at Baxter State Park and Massachusetts State Parks. At Baxter, she first worked as a campground attendant and then worked her way up to a campground ranger doing maintenance, recording park statistics, designing informational displays and communicating with the public. During the winter seasons, she did part-time work as an administrative assistant.

Now she works a full-time job as Education Assistant for the Springfield Museums in Springfield, Massachusetts, a group of four museums situated around the town green- the Springfield Science Museum, the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum. This job provides more job security and a steady income, but she says "Once I pay off the bills, I will go back in to being a ranger."

Katie's work consists of teaching, scheduling, maintaining contacts with teachers and greeting school groups, among many other things. There is no such thing as a typical day on the job for her. "I could spend five minutes in the office and then run around all day to the four museums, or it could be a full day in the office." It can be tough and stressful at times, but she is happy to have a job where she is learning and teaching every day.

Her advice for students is "Don't quit, and look into all the special programs offered. I wish I had known about the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP- it provides students with career-related experience with the federal government) while I was in school. Apply for everything, and always place the follow up phone call or e-mail. Also maintain relationships with teachers and fellow graduates."

Katie feels that going to Unity was a wonderful experience. "I found out who I was and learned a lot about myself. Unity College is more than a college; it's a lifestyle."
She also says that career wise, she does not think the ability to get a good job has anything to do with the school you went to. "It all depends on your attitude, motivation and being at the right place at the right time."

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

During the course of my quest to find out how Unity alums are making their mark in the world, I have been questioning people who have been out of school for several years. Now I think it is just as important to find out how recent graduates are doing, as their current experiences might provide insight into what some of us might expect upon our own graduation.

Tony Cardoso graduated last May with a degree in environmental policy and now works as Citizen Outreach Director in New York City for the Fund for Public Interest Research (FFPIR). Over this past summer, he worked at a state park and then began training for his position with FFPIR. He canvassed (which is asking people to become members and donate money to their campaigns) for them in Hartford, CT, and Boston, MA, before moving to NYC at the end of the summer. Tony had canvassed during the previous summer and was basically on track to apply for this higher-level position with the organization. Now as an Outreach Director he is charge of recruitment, campaign work and administrative duties. In the future, he plans on going to law school and getting involved in non-profit and public interest law.

How has adjusting to life after college been?

It has been weird moving to NYC after living in rural Maine for 4 years, but so far it has been really fun. I miss Unity, but I was up there for alumni weekend, so it was nice. I must admit it is nice to be getting paychecks though, and regularly.

What is the purpose of the Fund for Public Interest Research?
We are a nationwide non-profit that was started 20 years ago to run grassroots campaigns for other non-profits. We have run campaigns for over 40 different organizations, namely the state PIRG's, Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign, Save The Children, Sierra Club, and more. Basically, we do everything from raise money for the organizations to lobbying legislators to educating the public about their campaigns. In NYC, we are currently working with Greenpeace on their clean energy campaign- signing up members, raising money, and raising awareness of the fact that the Bush Administration's energy plan is more or less a blank check to the energy industry and big oil. We run lots of different campaigns though.

What are your personal duties and responsibilities?

I am the recruitment and campaign director, and I canvass for part of the week as well. As recruitment director, I am the bottom line person for making sure that our help wanted ad's are placed in the papers, that posters are put up, and that we are getting people in the door-basically building a team of staff that will help us raise $800,000 this winter. On the other end, I am also bottom line on our campaign work, which this winter will consist of a letter-to-the-editor campaign and petition drives on some national campaign issues. Also, as a director in the office, I assist staff in basic administrative tasks and hire and fire people as well. Lots of responsibilities for a first job for sure.

What is a typical day on the job like for you?

Well, I get in at 8 am or so and we have a quick director meeting. Then new people start showing up at 8:30 and the rest of our staff at 9, so we begin our training sessions for the day and practice. Then if I am out canvassing, I go out with the staff at 10 and head to the location where we will be for the day. If I am in the office, I run 11 o'clock interviews, and then I have my recruitment and campaign work to coordinate and run until after 4 when our staff comes back from the field. Then we debrief them and help them anyway we can with getting done for the day. Another interview session is typically held at 6, and after we just tally up numbers for the day and typically leave by 7:30.

What is the most satisfying aspect of your job? What is the most challenging?

Making a big difference and raising a ton of money for Greenpeace and the other organizations we work for is satisfying. The most challenging is just being responsible for over 20 staff and having to fire people for not performing to expectations, but generally people understand, so its not too bad.

Has your experience at Unity proven to be helpful for your life and job?
I learned a lot from my policy professors there about environmental policy, so I feel like that has put me in a good position to know what I am talking about, which helps when you are trying to convince strangers to donate money.

If anyone is interested in working for non-profits or running environmental campaigns, Tony would be more than happy to talk with you. The FFPIR is looking for good people to be directors, and he would love to help you land an internship in your home state or a full-time job interview if you are graduating. His work number is 646-473-0905, and his email is tcardoso@ffpir.org.

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

TOP

Ted Frazer (December '02) gets to travel to some of the country's most beautiful parks and forests for his job as Forestry Technician (Fire) and Assistant Fire Use Module Leader with the US Forest Service in Choteau, Montana. Unfortunately, he gets to travel to these places because they are on fire. His specific duty during a fire is to serve as the assistant module leader/squad boss, meaning he is directly responsible for his crew's safety and for making the tactical decisions. During fire assignments, Ted might work over sixteen hours a day constructing handline, performing fire operations, flying helicopters and mopping up.

He also helps the Forest Service in using natural fire to manage fuels and wildlife habitat. On days when Ted is not busy fighting fires in the wilderness, he could find himself traveling on horseback to do backcountry work, helping with range management, operating helicopters or working with visitor contacts and recreation. For Ted, "The most satisfying part of this job is being able to see on a day-to-day basis what you have accomplished. I enjoy the diversity of the work and how everyday has different challenges."

Ted was offered a permanent position the spring of his junior year at Unity, though he did have to miss a month of class. "The most disheartening part of this was that the school administration did not support my absence and actually discouraged me, telling me that I would "most likely fail" the classes in which I was enrolled (needless to say I did not). I had to work out my absence with my professors who were very helpful and encouraging."

After graduation, Ted took some time off to relax and then traveled to the National Wildland Firefighters Academy for a month of training in Sacramento, California. He then went to Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana, where his job is based. Since his arrival he has been on assignment to all of the western states for fire use and suppression assignments.

"I feel that my experiences at Unity were helpful. Though my degree is in forestry and not fire, it is a related field, and the general knowledge of forest ecology and stand dynamics has helped me to better understand many aspects of my job. I believe that Unity provides a well rounded education for a career in environmental fields; to support this, my former supervisor is a Unity graduate, as is one of my employees for the past two seasons."

For those interested in firefighting with the Forest Service, Ted has this to say:
"Currently with the devastating fire seasons of 2000 and 2002, the national fire budget has been greatly inflated. This has created numerous permanent positions within the Forest Service and Department of the Interior that were not previously available. When I attended Unity very little was said about career opportunities in wildland fire management, which is a mistake . . . If there are any interested students I would be happy to talk to them on how to get their foot in the door. I can be contacted by email at tedfrazer@fs.fed.us or by phone at (406) 466-5341. Also, I winter in Troy, Maine so I am local for a few months out of the year."

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

Amanda Baker graduated from Unity in 2002 with a major in ecology and went directly to graduate school at the University of South Florida in Tampa. She is enrolled in a Biology PhD program with a concentration in ecology, and her current research focuses on plant-insect interactions with an exotic cactus moth and native cacti. More specifically, she is looking at the effects that the moth has on two common Florida cactus species, how habitat affects species, and the affect of fire on the moths. Amanda took the time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions, and has some good advice for those students considering going to grad school.

How has your grad school experience been different from your undergraduate experience?

It is much more intimidating. The graduate students are very serious about what they do (they can still have a good time) and everyone around you is very smart, so there are definitely feelings of inadequacy to overcome. So long as you don't mind putting yourself out there for a possible small amount of embarrassment, you will be ok.

You only need to take two or three courses per semester to be considered full-time (it still FEELS like five or six), and you are required to take much less credits to fulfill the degree. The main focus is on the research (for the life sciences anyway).

When did you decide to go to grad school? What were your reasons for going?

I think I decided during my second year at Unity (I was a non-traditional, transfer student and was only at Unity for three years). I figured if I didn't go directly to school and worked for awhile instead, I would never go back - the transition from a decent paycheck to a poor college student is just too hard, and I had already done it once to attend Unity.

What was the application process like?

The application process is stressful. The deadlines to apply are usually in the spring, so you need to have all your papers in order (recommendation letters, transcripts, GRE scores, application fee, etc.). My advice is to take the GRE early (maybe the previous summer) because the appointment to sit can be weeks away from when you call, and you may need to take the exam more than once to bump up your scores. Also, don't be shy about asking someone if they will give you a GOOD recommendation letter before you ask them to write you one.

To be competitive you need A's and B's as an undergrad, but the more important things are research experience and GRE scores. Do your best to gain research experience as an undergrad (including statistical analysis, not just field work) even if you have to do it for free. GRE scores are important because most biology departments that I investigated have a minimum score for you to even be considered (usually around 1100). This score does not take into consideration the verbal section, only analytical and quantitative.

What other schools were you considering, and how did you make your decision?

I looked all over the U.S. for professors that I might be willing to work with. I did this by becoming familiar with the scientific literature in my areas of interest (insect ecology and plant-animal interactions). Once I found people with these research interests I made contact (formal letter with a follow-up e-mail) to see if they were willing to take on any new graduate students. The ones that seemed most interesting to me and IN ME as a student wound up being on the list for application.

I applied to three schools total. Oregon State University, Northern Arizona University and USF. While Corvallis, Oregon and Flagstaff, Arizona were preferable locations in my book, the best offer (research and funding) came from USF. It is best to find a professor that matches your research needs than to choose based on location or reputation of the school, because if you can't see eye to eye in that arena it will be that much harder for you to complete your degree. The projects at the other Universities did not interest me at the time, compared to what I am doing at USF.

How are you paying for grad school?

I have received a continuing TA (teaching assistantship) for five years of guaranteed funding. I teach two sections of undergraduate biology labs each semester for a paycheck and they waive my tuition. These can be very competitive so this is where the good grades as an undergrad really pays off. I have recently been offered an RA (research assistantship) by my professor, which will allow me to stop teaching (temporarily - maybe a year) and he will pay me through grant money so that I can focus on my research. I enjoy teaching and am reluctant to give it up - but I think I will accept this offer.

What has been the most difficult thing about grad school?

The courses are very difficult. They are not impossible, but were much harder than I had expected upon my arrival and I really struggled my first semester. Luckily, the graduate students in my department are not too competitive and they are very supportive and helpful, which made it a little easier.

What do you hope to do in the future?

I'm open to any opportunity. I do not have my heart set on being a professor, although I could enjoy doing that. I would be willing to work in any area: academia, private, government, non-profit. I do look forward to moving away from Florida and the south, and I would even consider moving out of the country to work. I'm not too picky as long as I am doing something I can believe in and enjoy, rather than dread going to work every day.

Did your experience at Unity sufficiently prepare you for grad school?

I think that Unity could have better helped me prepare, but everyone did the best that they could to help those of us interested in graduate school. This is may be because at the time there weren't very many students (only three) considering graduate school so the effort needed to be placed on helping students find internships and jobs instead. You have to take on the responsibility yourself: find out about GRE's, talk to professors on campus whose interests match yours and find other students who will be going or alumni who have. It can be very helpful to talk to those who have been through it before or are going through it with you.

Is there any other information you would like to share with students considering graduate school?

If you really want to get the graduate degree you need to make a commitment to yourself early on, because the transition is difficult and there are many times you may want to give up and go get a job. Be sure you want to do research and are working on a research project you love; it will help to keep the motivation going.

While at Unity do your best to prepare yourself: get the research experience, talk to professors, read the literature and study hard for those GREs.

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator

After graduating from Unity in 1998 with a major in wildlife management, John Stokely was first employed by the National Park Service in Virginia as a Biological Technician, and later worked as a Natural Resources Manager at a Virginia State Natural Area. Then John found himself moving to the opposite coast of the US to take a job as a Wildlife Biologist with the Institute of Wildlife Studies on Santa Catalina, one of California's Channel Islands. There he studied the channel island fox and worked on a feral animal removal project.

While working this job, John encountered the California Department of Fish and Game and ended up taking a graduate student/ bio tech position with them, studying migratory corridors and patterns for a couple of remotely located mule deer herds in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Then John heard that a friend of his was starting an environmental consulting firm, and he went to work there as a Natural Resources Analyst. Along with working this job, he has concurrently been studying for a Masters of Natural Resources degree from Virginia Tech, which he expects to finish by the fall of 2004.

Q: When did you decide to go to grad school?
A: I knew that grad school was probably a necessity when I chose my field of study, or at least that is what I was told by those in the field. So the decision was probably made back before I transferred to Unity.

Q: What were your reasons for going to grad school?
A: Originally my reason was to be able to make a somewhat decent living doing environmental work. After I started working, I realized that I wanted to know and deal with the more complex aspects of my field of study.

Q: How are you paying for grad school?
A: A positive aspect of working for a private firm or some public agencies is that often they will pay for school. Explore this option and take advantage of it. Some will pay you to do your graduate work, while others will require you to work on top of doing your graduate work. It may be a little more difficult than other ways of paying for school in the short-term, but you don't have to worry about loans later.

Q: How has your grad school experience been different from your undergraduate experience?
A: Graduate school requires much, much more active participation than undergraduate. It assumes that you have all the technical knowledge of your field of study and forces you to think about things critically and analytically. You will learn a few more intensive and specialized technical skills, but for the most part you argue-not arguing in a hostile sense but in logical, calculated discussions.

Q: What are the duties and responsibilities of your current job?
A: The duties and responsibilities of my team are primarily studies and analysis, and some planning. Working for a consulting firm, your customers and clients may change over time and your project types may also change over time. Currently, the projects that I am working on are primarily conservation-based: everything from developing reserve design systems to threatened and endangered species consultation. Some projects are localized to a specific area, while others are national in scale; one or two have been international in scale (which was pretty cool, hope I get more of those).

Q: What is the purpose of the organization/agency you work for?
A: Working for a consulting firm does not provide you with the most chivalrous of purposes. The main purpose of a firm is to make money, but the firm does take on the purpose of the agency or organization for which it is working to complete individual projects. This is supported by the presumption that knowing the organization/agencies' purpose and direction allows you to provide them with better services and products.

Q: Could you go through what a typical day on the job is like?
A: A typical day at this job involves the reviewing and researching of scientific literature, writing, or crunching data using GIS or some other software package. Occasionally I make a site visit or two; I guess I will do about one site visit per month, but they are usually for casual observation of study sites and meetings. Unfortunately, my days of long and grueling fieldwork are very limited. I still have my boots and Carharts though!

Q: What do you think students should do to prepare themselves to find a job in this field?
A: Employers like to be able to give you a task and let you go at it and get it done, be it sending you to a foreign country to manage survey crews, a 45-minute presentation and briefing of a complex topic, or consistently capturing a set of data from a trap-shy species. This requires a solid grounding in your area of study so you can talk shop when you need to, analytical and critical thinking so you will not only know what you need to do, but why, and creativity so that when an unforeseen problem arises you can deal with it in a unique way (there are always unforeseen problems).

Q: How did your experience at Unity help you out in your career?
A: Yes - absolutely, Unity affected my life in a positive way. I came away from Unity with the ability to jump right into a field crew and know exactly what was going on while recent graduates from other schools would require a bit of time to acclimate to working in a field environment.

Q: Is there any other information you would like to share with the students at Unity?
A: Don't overlook the Unity Alumni resource. I was fortunate enough to have a fellow Unity graduate give me my first paying biology position.

By: Corree Seward, CRC Career Educator