A number of undergraduate and graduate students in the Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Department received USDA Forest Service Pathways appointments over the last year.

The appointed seniors and recent graduates are beginning their careers in unprecedented times. Amidst the uncertainty of our current global situation, these positions provide a welcome pathway forward for student professionals.

The process for applying to government positions and programs is lengthy and complex, as many students attest, but the reward of achieving their goal is well worth the effort.

Sarah Hunt went into the 2019 Society of American Foresters (SAF) Convention hiring fair having never worked in the federal system before. Upon receiving information and interviewing with Forest Service hiring officials at the event, she said it was nerve racking waiting for responses to her applications and interviews. Hunt said she was then excited and relieved to be offered a position in Fort Collins.

“I really wanted a Forest Service job, so I signed up for every opportunity and location in other states, but Fort Collins was perfect for me since I really don’t have the means to relocate right now,” Hunt said.

The Pathways programs helps current students and recent graduates access internship and job opportunities that lead to permanent positions within Federal land management agencies.

“I know that this will open up opportunities for my future, and a government internship will look great on my resume for any future position,” Hunt said.

Mija Mortell had a similar application experience at the 2019 SAF convention. She took the time to talk with Forest Service employers from different regions, and perused the large list of jobs to find good fits for her professional interests. After submitting her application, she took the initiative to stay involved in the process as time went by.

“There was a lot of waiting involved, but I made sure to reach out to the district rangers of the locations I was really interested in,” Mortell said.

She accepted a full-time, permanent position as a Forestry Technician in Susanville, California. She said she was excited because her husband, a 2019 FRS alumnus, had also recently received a permanent position with the National Resources Conservation Service in the same city. They can now start their new professional careers together.

“I think that might be a one in a million chance,” Mortell said. “I am excited to start my career for the USFS and work a job that I know I will love.”

2019-2020 USDA Forest Service Pathways Appointments

• Jack Daughtery – Forestry, Fall ‘19
• Erik Frey – Forestry, Fall ‘19
• Paige Gentry – Forestry, Fall ‘19
• Cody Holt – Forestry, Fall ‘20
• Sarah Hunt – Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Fall ‘20
• Corey Ledbetter – Forestry/Natural Resources Management, Fall ‘19
• Katheryn Little – Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Fall ‘19
• Anthony Lowey – Master of Natural Resources Stewardship, Forest Sciences, Fall ‘19
• Austin Osborn – Forestry, Fall ‘20
• Mija Mortell – Forestry, Spring ‘20
• Hayden Taylor – Forestry, Fall ‘20
• Alex Weissman – M.S. Forest Sciences, Summer ‘20
• Reece White – Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Spring ‘21

2019-2020 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Pathways Appointments

• Alexis Emslie, Spring ‘20
• Amanda James, Fall ‘19
• Samantha Maloney, Spring ‘20
• Cody Mortell, Spring ‘19