Career Roadmap
Robert's work combines: Environment & Nature, Entrepreneurship, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Noblesville High School
Bachelor's Degree
Near and Middle Eastern Studies
University of California-Berkeley
Associate's Degree
Ventura College
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Park Naturalists:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I joined the Army and left for basic training the week after I graduated from high school.
2.
I got out and was almost immediately unhappy; I got a divorce and decided to leave Louisiana.
3.
I moved back in with my parents and fell into a depression until I finally sought help at the VA.
4.
I took a leap of faith, packed up everything I owned, and moved across the country to California.
5.
I spent time at a community college, then transferred to the University of California, Berkeley.
6.
Graduating from UC Berkeley is one of my proudest achievements to date.
7.
I made connections at the Sierra Club and secured my current position, working with my fellow vets.
8.
Now that I've integrated into civilian life, I'm trying my best to help other vets do the same.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You're not smart enough to get into UC Berkeley.
How I responded:
In order to use the G.I. Bill for tuition, you have to have a solid plan for your education. So I went in to visit my academic advisor at Ventura College and asked if it was realistic for me to transfer to UC Berkeley and/or UC Santa Barbara. He skeptically told me it was "very hard" to get into UC Berkeley and that his son went there, then completely omitted my plan to go to UC Berkeley from my paperwork. That just lit a fire under me to try my hardest, and I now have a degree from UC Berkeley.