The College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES) announced alumna Sierra Williams as their new outreach coordinator. In her position, she builds connections and works with current and prospective students.
The outreach coordinator helps prospective students envision their five year plan, encompassing time at Michigan Tech and after. For current students, she plans the Natural Resources Career Fair and events within the college. She also has contacts within the college, university, and community, connecting others to the right people.
Williams got her bachelor’s degree in applied ecology and environmental science. During her undergrad, she did research in hydrology. She then earned her accelerated masters in geographic information science (GIS). Post graduation, she took a seasonal position in the Oregon Museum of Science and History teaching children about the natural environment.
Sharing her passion is her favorite part of being an ecologist. Being able to explain the natural environment to herself and others is a large part of that. “When I was working in Oregon, we were in the desert, and the students that attended summer camps or outdoor school would look around and say, ‘There’s nothing interesting about this place. Everything is dead!’ And I was like, ‘It’s not dead. It’s dry!’ Then we would talk a lot about adaptations of plants and animals and how it’s super cool that these living things are out there in this place that is so arid.”
Williams returned to Tech, working in the Center for Educational Outreach, where she had also worked as a student. “I felt a lot of growth in myself as a student when I was a part of that office and department. I knew that if I came back as a budding professional that I would see a lot of growth there too.” This role set her up to handle the professionalism and communication needed for her current position.
When asked what makes CFRES special at Tech, Williams said, “CFRES is a very tight knit but welcoming community. Professors usually go by a first name basis and our faculty have an open door policy. That combined with our smaller class sizes makes for a very approachable class environment.” She also noted that faculty’s passion for their classes is contagious.
Currently, she is planning Overstory, the department’s end-of-year celebration for graduating students. CFRES is teaching three Summer Youth Program courses and creating outreach programs for young students around the Detroit area. It exposes students to careers in natural resources and gets them interested in the environment.
