what i know now wildlife biologist
age : 28 hometown : Hattiesburg , Mississippi ( Dixie Community )
career : Resource Stewardship Biologist ( South Region ). I provide on-the-ground wildlife and land management assistance to private landowners in Alabama . I am a remote employee based in Mobile , AL , meaning I work out of my home office when I am not on the road . one wild career drew arnold
education : I chose the University of Southern Mississippi for my B . S . in Biological Sciences . I was unsure of what I wanted to do after college and felt that with a Biological Sciences degree I could go into a variety of fields . I ’ m currently working on my M . S . in Wildlife , Aquatic , and Wildlands Science and Management at Texas Tech University .
growing up : I always enjoyed the outdoors as a child and dreamed of working in an outdoor environment . I toyed with the idea of being an archaeologist ( I like history ) or veterinarian .
parental impact : From an early age , my parents had me and my brothers helping on the farm in some capacity . The farm life really helped me develop a sense of pride in my labor as well as a strong work ethic . They also encouraged us to learn because they were teachers . My dad always had his nose in a book and had an insatiable appetite for learning new things . He made sure we knew things that would make us self-sufficient if we ever hit hard times , a trait that I believe is critical in almost any field .
college life : I had always excelled in academics during high school , but coming to college leveled the playing field . It can be hard on your self-esteem when you go from star student to average student , but it goads you to adapt . Also , you have this new-found independence . It requires some self-determination and willpower to really buckle down and focus on school while also maintaining a social life and family obligations .
1 . My lovely wife , Candace 2 . Pepper , my German shorthaired pointer 3 . The outdoors
• Kayaking
• Running
• Woodworking
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JESSICA SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
can ’ t live without
downtime
• Hunting
• Traveling turning point : Probably the most profound moment came from my mother . I wanted to go to grad school but was a bit afraid I would fail at finding a spot . One day we got into a bit of an argument and she told me I was too chicken to leave and follow my dreams . That really stuck in my craw , but pushed me to do what I needed to get where I wanted to go . The next day I filled out an application for graduate school and 3 months later moved to Texas . A little tough love is good sometimes !
rookie mistake : Being too careless with my studies . With new-found freedom it can be easy to say , “ I don ’ t have to go to class today !” Go to class . Keep up with your assignments . Don ’ t fall behind . And get plenty of sleep !
best advice i ' ve been given : My dad : “ Be young and have fun .” Don ’ t take life too seriously .
i wish i ' d known : I wish I would have volunteered with projects related to my future career goals . I would have also looked into internships . I believe they can be important for getting your foot in the door while also gaining valuable experience .
8 | Winter 2017 www . potentialmagazine . com