When one thinks of the opportunities the class of 2006 are about to embark on, a few common answers tend to persist – graduate school and a 9 a.m.-5 p.m. job. But some graduates of Washington University choose to digress from the beaten path. Whether it is Julia Desmond fighting for energy conversation, Miriam Waigand building a section of the Continental Divide trail or Carrie Fuller dressing up in an otter suit, the following three students have taken the road less traveled.
Desmond will be joining the Green Corps in a one-year program designed to create confident leaders for their ongoing campaigns throughout the country. The goal of the Corps is to create grassroots movements throughout the nation and create lasting changes through these campaigns.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting other people who are like minded,” said Desmond. “I’m really looking forward to using what I’ve learned in an undergraduate degree and applying it to a real life situation. Not having everything hypothetical, but more realistic.”
She will first be heading to Boston with 21 others for an “environmentalist boot camp” for three weeks. From there, she will work on any of a number of campaigns throughout the nation, as well as receive additional training down the road.
After working on a number of these campaigns, Desmond will take over an office of her own, starting next summer, where she will be in charge of all of the operations concerning the building and maintaining of a full-scale grassroots campaign.
Waigand, on the other hand, will be working for the environment in a very different capacity. She is soon to be a geologist for the Montana Conservation Corps, an organization dedicated to benefiting the environment and local communities throughout Montana and surrounding states.
The project portfolio for the corps includes trail work, historical restoration, biological research and many community service activities. The program is run through AmeriCorps, a non-profit organization that emphasizes rigorous work ethic, team building and dedication in all of its activities.
Finally, Fuller intends to join the staff of the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a Visitor Programs naturalist. More specifically, she will be working on their 65-foot research sailboat running education programs for the aquarium’s guests.
“I think one of the most important aspects of zoos and aquaria is instilling a sense of knowledge and appreciation for the animals the public encounters in order to ensure their preservation in the future,” said Fuller.
She will also be demonstrating the use of research equipment used at Monterey Bay, as well as explaining the aquarium’s role as a marine life reserve. And yes, she might just be wearing a sea otter costume sometimes. She learned about the opportunity through her involvement at the St. Louis Zoo, which directed her to the American Zoo and Aquarium Association website.
All in all, Desmond, Waigand and Fuller are ready to take on the challenges of their post-University careers.
“I don’t think I could have possibly found a better fit for me and can’t wait to start,” said Fuller.