Haub School Alumni Highlights

November, 2023

Alejandro Jimenez Vazquez (he/him)

Haub School Outstanding Undergraduate Spring 2023

Degree: Outdoor Recreation & Tourism Management (ORTM) and a concentration in Cultural & International Tourism, 2023

Hometown: Jackson, WY

 

What position are you currently in?

"I am a Park Ranger for the National Park Service. I'm working in Denali National Park and Preserve in the Education Division, primarily focusing on outdoor youth education and community engagement for the surrounding areas of Denali as well as other communities within the state."

 

How did you find this position?

"I started working for the park service in 2018-2019. My initial interest peaked with my enrollment in a youth program that I started getting involved with in middle school. Called Pura Vida, it’s a partnership between Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton National Park Association. Through there, I was able to gain an internship as a Community Ambassador for the park and the youth program. This eventually led me to an internship with the Student Conservation Association in Washington State at Mount Rainier. The following year I started applying for positions like these through the USA Jobs process, which is where all federal government jobs are posted."

 

Do you have any tips for USA jobs for students?

"It is definitely an intimidating platform and an intimidating process for many reasons. I understand those as being barriers to access. My biggest piece of advice would be if you’re already a part of the Haub School, you're equipped with such a great network and community of folks that want to see you succeed and want to see you thrive. Rely on those people to get you connected with folks whether it be the Park Service, the Forest Service, or the Bureau of Land Management to start working on your resume. Even before that, opening up a document and listing out all of your accomplishments big and small is helpful. Whether it is volunteering, being part of a club, or a recognized student organization, literally anything. Include your academic work, and any conferences that you’re a part of or you're attending, definitely put those in there. The biggest thing that you can do for yourself is prepare that resume and start it out. It is a lengthy document that's just going to continue to get longer. The more work that you can do on it prior to actually submitting that application, the better."

 

In what ways did the Haub School prepare you for this career?

"Giving me experiences through an academic lens as well as the different recreational opportunities. For example, study abroad and the field courses they advertised. These were great not only in solidifying the experiences and the skills that I had before, but also in introducing me to new perspectives. I loved being able to meet other folks who are in the Haub School, hearing what their goals are, and what similar interests we had. Part of being in the Haub School is being a part of that community that elevates the feeling of ‘I'm not in this alone, I have passions that are shared by others.’ And it's really, really wholesome to have that in academia."

 

 

What were some of the most memorable experiences being a Haubie?

"The field course in the Chilean Patagonia was a special experience. I got to meet a lot of folks from both Wyoming and Chile. Specifically in Laramie though, it was memorable for various reasons: it was that one panel about the checkerboard pattern case for people trespassing into private land. That reminded me of how small of a state Wyoming can be and all the benefits that come from that. Being able to gather so many important people. So many stakeholders, in one room, and then on top of that having students attend the event? I had that feeling that ‘my voice matters in this conversation.’ I think about that night so often, just because where else would that happen? That was special and it triggered a lot of thoughts, and a lot of conversations, then made me reconsider what I wanted my relationship to be with Wyoming post-graduation."

 

Did you have any mentors or advisors at the university who played a significant role in guiding your career path?

"The first person that comes to mind is my advisor, Melanie Matthews. She was always rooting for me and provided me with different opportunities, guidance as to what courses I should take, and how to take care of myself. I didn’t start with the Haub School going into UW. Having her as an advisor sold me on staying with the Haub school because of the amount of attention paid to me, my interests, and what I wanted to do. It was something that I had not experienced yet. I would say other folks that had an impact on me were Dan McCoy and Courtney Carlson. I don't know, I can't say that I had a bad Haub School instructor. It’s a great team of people. They all are so passionate about their work. So those are a couple of them, but I’m appreciative of everyone involved."

 

 

Describe the transition from being a student to becoming an alumni  of the Haub school, how has your relationship with the school changed?

"I don't know that it's hit me quite yet. I follow the Haub Instagram, it's nice to see everything that's still happening and all the new events that are coming up. I am signed up for the newsletter and I just saw that they completed their hiring for the folks that came to the University for candidate visits last semester. I was happy to see that because I attended some of those lunches, I was able to meet them, and it’s amazing to see that come full circle. I'm grateful for everything that I experienced during my time there. And I look forward to seeing how the programs continue to grow."

 

What advice would you give to a current student or recent graduate? 

"Step out of your comfort zone, and ask for help! Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are so many resources that are available to you, as a student, as a Haubie, and as a human being. It starts by asking one person and letting the ball roll from there. You have to learn how to advocate for yourself. You have to make sure that you're being taken care of so that you can succeed academically. That's my biggest piece of advice, just learn to ask for help. There's so there's so many resources for you out there that can help you thrive, that are there for you to use."

 

What professional and applied experiences did you have during your undergrad?

"The conferences that I was able to attend were huge for me. I'm specifically thinking about the Rucklehaus Institute's 'Emerging Issue Forum: Building It the Way We Want It’ where we presented our ORTM capstone projects. That was a new experience. It was great to see other folks’ work and chat with people from across the state. Another cool experience that I'm thankful for was attending the Inter-Tribal Tourism Summit earlier this year. I would say having more of those opportunities to learn more about the cultural aspects of tourism, the cultural resources of the industry, and the state, are all something that I look forward to seeing from the Haub School."

 

"I'm a Haubie because I care about the connection between people and the outdoors."

 

Alejandro's story has been edited for length and clarity. All image credits go to Alejandro.