Alumni

What led you to HCC?

I knew that I wanted to study natural resources coming out of high school, but really didn’t want to attend a four-year university with all the chaos and expenses that come with it. I found out that Haywood was one of the few community colleges that offered a two-year program in Forestry and Fish & Wildlife, and I loved that it was in the North Carolina mountains, so it seemed like the perfect fit.

How was your experience at HCC? 

I really enjoyed my time at HCC. We had a great group of students in the Natural Resources program that were passionate about learning. I loved that we got to spend tons of time in the field, it was just a great way to learn, especially when it came to identifying the flora and fauna of the NC mountains and beyond. And I couldn’t have asked for better instructors; we even went on some epic multi-day floats down the Holston River to catch smallmouth. And John Palmer had a huge influence on me. Of course, his dendrology class was great, and I came away knowing nearly every tree and shrub in NC! He even took us on a trip down to Florida one spring to see the Keys and Everglades. I was very fortunate that John chose me to attend his annual tour of the Southwest and visit the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Crested Butte, CO. I never did enroll in RMBL, but it was the first time I had seen the Western US, and I knew then that was where I wanted to live and work!

How did you start in the real world with what you learned and gained at HCC?

After graduation, I was ready to put my skills to the test and quickly applied to an AmeriCorps Internship with the Olympic National Park Spotted Owl Crew. Coming out of HCC, I felt well prepared to conduct fieldwork, even outside of the Southeastern US, which is what we mostly studied. Getting to backpack around Olympic NP searching for spotted owls was an unbelievable experience, one that I wouldn’t have gotten without my time at HCC. After the internship, I joined an engine crew as a wildland firefighter with ONP.  To me, that’s what makes HCC special, it can prepare you for detailed fieldwork monitoring a listed species and provide more practical skills that can prep you as a firefighter. 

What career do you have now and how did your coursework help in your role?

I am now in my tenth year working as a Wildlife Biologist for Sierra Pacific Industries in California. I manage and protect several species of raptors and amphibians on nearly 100,000 acres of timberland in the central Sierra Nevada mountains. I really enjoy the work and love that it combines several fields that I initially studied at Haywood, including forestry, botany, GIS, and of course, wildlife management. It’s truly a dream job!

What would you recommend to others considering attending college, at HCC or otherwise?

I think community college is absolutely the way to go. I ended up getting my bachelor’s degree from N.C State, but I learned way more applicable skills during my time at HCC. Even if you eventually plan to graduate from a university, community college is a great way to get started. For me, I liked the more relaxed and personable atmosphere at HCC as opposed to the crazy dorm life and huge classes at universities. It all depends on your preference, but I think more people should consider community college, especially HCC, it’s such a great campus and community!

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