I am a graduate student returning to school after spending some time in environmental regulatory/compliance work with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Prior to that I performed seasonal work at Burgess Falls State Park and Windows Cliffs State Natural Area. My experiences in state parks were diverse and included programs oriented towards younger audiences, labor using a variety of tools and equipment, and even lending a hand in wilderness medical emergency evacuation. My seasonal work was done concurrently with my undergraduate coursework where I completed my bachelor’s (cum laude) in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Tennessee Tech where I was a member of the Wildlife Society. Before my college career I was a sergeant in the Marine Corps, where I learned hard skills such as land navigation and first aid as well as soft skills such as teamwork and communication.