GS Graduate Finds Opportunities with AmeriCorps

Who gets paid to raft the entire 228 miles of the Grand Canyon, along with visiting Great Basin, Capitol Reef, Big Bend, Mohave, Joshua Tree, Manzanar, and many other National Parks?   Well, Ryan Tietjen does.  Ryan, an  ’03 GS graduate, is currently, spending his time restoring human impacted areas back to the natural conditions at Organ Pipe National Monument as a Restoration Ecologist.  He came to this position through volunteer work and then a stint in AmeriCorps.  After his work in Redwoods National Park with AmeriCorps, he worked in a number of positions helping to eradicate invasive species, which led to the adventure described above and his current job.  “I love my job as a Restoration Ecologist.  Being a geographer has really helped my career,” says Tietjen.

He attributes his success to the GS program at James Madison University. The Global Dimension in Geography (GGEOG 200) course was his entry point and led him to a concentration in environmental studies. Tietjen cited Wilderness Techniques as a seminal course in his major.  He’s also found that his courses in Air Photo Interpretation, GIS Techniques, Environmental Ethics and Ecological Biogeography have been extremely useful.  Wilderness Techniques “really challenged me to get out there, become aware of my surroundings and resolve environmental issues.  Hands on experience, teamwork, determination and good leadership is emphasized by the GS program.”

Tietjen advises prospective and current students to get involved … with the AmeriCorps program, or doing an internship with Shenandoah National Park, or helping in Invasive Species remediation.  He also counsels that GIS and GPS skills are critical.  “I have a great job.  I owe my success to my willingness to volunteer at the beginning of my career to gain the experience required to become a professional resource manager.  My geography degree provided me with the knowledge and skills required to stand out among the many others that were also seeking work in my field.”