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Alumni Careers

Master in Environmental Management (MEM)

Alumni Careers

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“It was overall a life changing experience.”

We encourage MEM students to create a livelihood based on their values and since the first cohort graduated in 2016, over 200 alumni have done just that.  Over 90+ percent of our alumni are engaged in careers in the field of environmental management and sustainability.

Employers

Approximately 40% of our alumni work for federal (e.g. National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Energy, etc.), state or municipal government.  Another 40% either own their own business or are working in the business sector.  The remainder are working for non-profits, attending law school and Ph.D. programs, or are employed in the education sector.

The most valuable takeaway from my time in the MEM is that the opportunity to work as part of a diverse group of people creates incredible experiences and outcomes.”

Example job titles for current alumni

  • Assistant Wildlife Refuge Manager
  • Assistant Professor
  • Carbon Analyst
  • Community and Economic Development Planner
  • Corporate Sustainability Analyst
  • Director of Research
  • Education and Outreach Specialist
  • Environmental Specialist
  • Executive Director
  • Forestry Program Coordinator
  • International Conservation Coordinator
  • Legacy Land Specialist
  • Marine Protected Species Specialist
  • Natural Resource Specialist
  • Park Ranger
  • Planning Specialist
  • Recreation Specialist
  • Renewable Energy Market Analyst
  • Science Teacher
  • Stewardship Coordinator
  • Stream Restoration Technician
  • Sustainability Analyst
  • Sustainability Coordinator
  • Technical Editor
  • Weed Manager Director
  • Wildlife biologist
  • And many more!

Example employers of our current alumni

  • Adventure Scientists
  • Coldharbour Institute
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife
  • Conservation Land Foundation
  • ENGIE Impact
  • Farm Journal
  • Great Basin Institute
  • Greater Arkansas River Nature Association
  • Green Builder
  • Inland Ocean Coalition
  • Kentucky Division of Conservation
  • National Forest Foundation
  • National Young Farmers Coalition
  • Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
  • Platte River Energy Resources
  • Ripple Foods
  • Solar Energy International
  • Tuskegee University
  • Utah Clean Cities
  • Yosemite Conservancy
  • And many more!

Please follow us on social media (FacebookInstagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) each Thursday to see what our alumni are doing!  Contact us at MEM@western.edu for more information or apply here.


I would not be where I am today without the community of Western. The School of Environment and Sustainability has challenged me to dig deep and take a hard look at the complexities of navigating current environmental challenges; all while cultivating space to implement innovative approaches to build lives and livelihoods that are respectfully integrated with our landscapes.

Maddie Rehn, 2017 Integrated and Public Land Management – GMUG Forests Project Coordinator, National Forest Foundation

Chris Were

Professor Danielson taught me the importance and intricacies of environmental inspection during my time with the MEM. My project showed me that even the renewable energy transition can have its flaws and needs diligent inspectors to make sure that this energy transition does no harm and is as equitable as possible, not only to people but to marine life as well.

Chris Were, 2019 Global Sustainability – Protected Species and Marine Mammal Specialist, Smutea Sciences

 

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