07 Feb Ayden Reyes’ Intro Blog

     Howdy, my name is Ayden Reyes and I graduated from Texas A&M University in May of 2021, with a Bachelors of Science in Forestry and Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences. My passion for the environment started early, during my involvement with the Boy Scouts of America. When I would go explore a new park, refuge, or forest, I would see the rangers as superheroes; their beige button up shirts analogous to a flowing cape. It was because of those experiences that I knew that I wanted to dedicate my life to conserving wild and natural places.

     My long term career goals are to work as a scientist for a federal land management agency, conducting fieldwork and performing public education and outreach as part of my job duties. I discovered my passion for these facets of the environmental field in college, when working as a Biological Science Technician for the U.S. Forest Service. I got to conduct rigorous, dynamic fieldwork in beautiful locations, but my favorite part of the job was when people approached me and were curious about the work I was doing. I was able to teach them about the project that I was working on, hopefully instilling in them the same passion for nature that I have. 

     The Refuge Outreach Intern position at Neal Smith NWR interested me because I haven’t yet had a position working only on one specific refuge, park, or forest. The opportunity to work for a full year towards numerous projects and to see the tangible progress and difference I’ve made is exciting. I believe that this position will allow me to immerse myself into a branch of the federal government that I haven’t yet seen, and incorporate all of my interests into a valuable new career experience. Thank you EFTA!