By John Robert Morton, Pupil and Alumni Affairs Liaison, and Ashley Watts, APU Graduate
Environmental conservation is necessary, and fairly just a few of the College’s college students and school member have devoted their efforts towards protecting the environment.
A type of conservationists is APU alumna Ashley Watts, whose work in conservation has created a greater surroundings for aquatic animals and other people in Michigan. As an animal welfare host and crew lead for SEA LIFE in Lansing, Michigan, Ashley has helped to take care of a sustainable mannequin for aquatic animals.
Growing a Love for Nature and Conservation
As a toddler, Ashley spent a major period of time exploring the waters of Michigan together with her household. Touring on her grandparents’ houseboat, they sailed to many alternative ports across the jap facet of Michigan and sometimes traveled to Ohio and Canada as effectively. Her journeys enabled Ashley to develop a love of the water and aquatic animals.
Discovering the Proper Educational Path
Ashley graduated with a bachelor’s diploma in psychology from Adrian School in Adrian, Michigan. Nonetheless, she by no means fairly discovered her area of interest within the psychology discipline.
Whereas taking lessons for her psychology diploma, she labored as an accountant. This expertise was helpful as a result of it made her snug talking in entrance of individuals and discussing matters like grants and meals budgets.
Later, Ashley received a job at a petting farm. From that have, Ashley realized that her real love was working with animals.
Ashley started analysis to see how she may get a level geared towards working with animals and wildlife. She wanted a college that might permit her to work full-time, however discovered that the majority faculties required in-person attendance and have been exceptionally costly.
Ashley started searching for an alternate academic expertise and got here throughout American Public College (APU). After reviewing totally different tutorial applications, she selected the bachelor’s degree in natural sciences.
“I stumbled throughout an outline of the bachelor’s diploma in pure sciences, and I’ve not regretted it for a single day!,” Ashley says.
Making a Skilled Path in Aquatic Conservation
Whereas taking classes for her bachelor’s degree in pure sciences, Ashley took a job as an occasions intern on the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing. She says, “The crew was superb, and the zookeepers have been at all times completely satisfied to share perception and conservation efforts. The zoo even has a program the place keepers will stand at a chosen spot, speak in regards to the significance of a given animal and reply any questions.”
After Ashley’s internship ended, the zoo saved her on as a part-time worker doing odd jobs for occasions all through the remainder of the 12 months. She later heard a few job as an animal welfare host at an aquarium referred to as SEA LIFE Michigan and utilized.
Ashley was shortly provided the job and was promoted to the Workforce Lead place inside two weeks. She loves speaking to visitors in regards to the significance of every animal, and SEA LIFE does superb conservation work.
After many months, a husbandry place opened on the Aquarist crew, and Ashley was extremely inspired to use. She now handles many components of the aquarium and is concerned with many conservation efforts.
A number of the conservation efforts that Ashley is concerned in embrace:
- Native cleanups
- Seahorses, stingray, and sea star breeding
- Turtle and tortoise rescues
- Aquarium habits research for confined animals
Recommendation to Future College students
Ashley’s skilled development has been something however straight and regular. Nonetheless, she notes that her earlier jobs gave her helpful abilities and data.
“There is no such thing as a one ‘proper’ option to be within the discipline of conservation,” observes Ashley. “Each skilled I’ve spoken to or labored with has a special academic and profession background. Hold your training broad so you may make your research particular. Have a spotlight however be open to choices you had by no means even considered making an attempt earlier than.”
Concerning the Creator
John Robert Morton is a Pupil and Alumni Affairs Liaison and has been with the College for 14 years. His bachelor’s diploma in European historical past is from Troy College in Troy, Alabama. He additionally accomplished grasp’s levels in political science and sports activities administration from American Army College. As a liaison, John Robert enjoys serving to college students and alumni to realize their private {and professional} objectives.
About Our Division
The AMU and APU Alumni Affairs Workplace is devoted to sustaining lifelong relationships with college alumni by offering participating alternatives to remain concerned and linked. We work carefully with a wide range of stakeholders to strengthen the alumni expertise and to supply a wide range of advantages, companies, actions, and occasions all year long.
As a crew, the Alumni Affairs crew works to construct and maintain relationships with alumni alongside their private {and professional} journeys. We actively search for methods to acknowledge and showcase alumni, telling their tales to encourage and encourage college students within the pursuit of their objectives.
If you’re a member of the alumni group and are searching for methods to stay actively concerned, please contact alumni@apus.edu and converse with a member of the crew.