Click Here to Return to the Education and Awareness Sector Overview
Christina Lopez: What is your role with Colorado River Alliance and why did you choose to work there?
Geoff Hensgen: I’m a Program Director, and I wanted to work here because it gave me an opportunity to advance my career in environmental and science education. At the time, they were looking for someone to develop the Mobile River Program, which turned out to be quite an adventure.
CL: What difference can graduates expect to make by working in Education and Environmental Awareness careers?
GH: Educators – be they teachers or environmental educators focusing on one topic – can make a HUGE difference, right away. There is a tremendous need for smart, motivated people with science degrees to work within today’s various education systems. In my programs, we see a 1-2 grade-letter increase in student test scores as a result of spending 5 hours working with educators within our programs. You can see students’ progress right in front of your eyes!
CL: What advice can you provide to students/young professionals interested in pursuing a career in Education and Environmental Awareness?
GH: Start exploring whether these fields are for you while you are in college, by securing an internship for a semester.
CL: How do you view future career opportunities in this field?
GH: The United States will always need good, passionate people to teach in our schools and environmental education programs. The number of options for sending a child to school is increasing. Charter and private schools are expanding, and public schools are suffering funding setbacks especially in areas where they serve disadvantaged populations of people – be they rural or urban. It is these populations that need good educators the most, but the pay is going to be less.
Environmental education is often funded through public means (like a local science center or nature park), however the world of environmental nonprofits relies to a large degree on getting grants and donations from private companies and persons. The stock market (and other economic signs) are strong right now, but we have an Administration that is decidedly unsupportive of environmental concerns. Therefore, I think that people will be motivated to give generously to local environmental nonprofits for the next few years, and this should hopefully result in the creation of new jobs for new graduates.
CL: How might certification as NWF EcoLeader make a difference to employers?
GH: Interns: The kind of experience and education I’m looking for should demonstrate that you are actively seeking to learn new skills in education, and that you are passionate, motivated, and organized.
Staff: My education staff are now required to be English-Spanish bilingual, and have a few years working within an environmental education or formal science education program.
CL: Any closing words of wisdom?
GH: There is no substitute for hard work and discipline (which is the ability to do hard work consistently over time).
As long as you are willing to work hard, everything is going to be o.k. But don’t burn yourself out.
If you combine the lessons and skills you learn from each job in your past, you’ll be better at your present job, and sometimes you’ll be able to do really creative and impactful things.
***
Click Here to Return to the Education and Awareness Career Sector Overview
Interviewee: Geoff Hensgen
Program Director
Colorado River Alliance
Interviewer: Christina Lopez, NWF Fellow
Christina Lopez: What is your role with Colorado River Alliance and why did you choose to work there?
Geoff Hensgen: I’m a Program Director, and I wanted to work here because it gave me an opportunity to advance my career in environmental and science education. At the time, they were looking for someone to develop the Mobile River Program, which turned out to be quite an adventure.
CL: What difference can graduates expect to make by working in Education and Environmental Awareness careers?
GH: Educators – be they teachers or environmental educators focusing on one topic – can make a HUGE difference, right away. There is a tremendous need for smart, motivated people with science degrees to work within today’s various education systems. In my programs, we see a 1-2 grade-letter increase in student test scores as a result of spending 5 hours working with educators within our programs. You can see students’ progress right in front of your eyes!
CL: What advice can you provide to students/young professionals interested in pursuing a career in Education and Environmental Awareness?
GH: Start exploring whether these fields are for you while you are in college, by securing an internship for a semester.
CL: How do you view future career opportunities in this field?
GH: The United States will always need good, passionate people to teach in our schools and environmental education programs. The number of options for sending a child to school is increasing. Charter and private schools are expanding, and public schools are suffering funding setbacks especially in areas where they serve disadvantaged populations of people – be they rural or urban. It is these populations that need good educators the most, but the pay is going to be less.
Environmental education is often funded through public means (like a local science center or nature park), however the world of environmental nonprofits relies to a large degree on getting grants and donations from private companies and persons. The stock market (and other economic signs) are strong right now, but we have an Administration that is decidedly unsupportive of environmental concerns. Therefore, I think that people will be motivated to give generously to local environmental nonprofits for the next few years, and this should hopefully result in the creation of new jobs for new graduates.
CL: How might certification as NWF EcoLeader make a difference to employers?
GH: Certifications like these are attractive to prospective employers because they signal that a student is actively making investments in their professional development (as well as community & environmental outreach). In addition, this program focuses more on the “bigger picture” tools that are needed to manage and implement projects. Projects are the “base format” for the way work gets done for a massive amount of the really cool jobs out there..
CL: When selecting interns/staff members, what kind of experience and education do you find most suitable?GH: Interns: The kind of experience and education I’m looking for should demonstrate that you are actively seeking to learn new skills in education, and that you are passionate, motivated, and organized.
Staff: My education staff are now required to be English-Spanish bilingual, and have a few years working within an environmental education or formal science education program.
CL: Any closing words of wisdom?
GH: There is no substitute for hard work and discipline (which is the ability to do hard work consistently over time).
As long as you are willing to work hard, everything is going to be o.k. But don’t burn yourself out.
If you combine the lessons and skills you learn from each job in your past, you’ll be better at your present job, and sometimes you’ll be able to do really creative and impactful things.
***
Click Here to Return to the Education and Awareness Career Sector Overview
Type
Interviews
Sector
Habitat and Wildlife
Category Career Center Resources
Project Feedback