Meet the students: Sarah King
by Vicki Heisser |
For PWSC outdoor leadership student Sarah King, it was a desire to be “working for the park service” and a yearning “for a more rugged experience in the backcountry” that brought the New Jersey native to Valdez, Alaska.
King explains, “I discovered PWSC a few years ago through an internet search looking for schools that offered an outdoor leadership program. I have been in the park system for the past two years in my home state of New Jersey. I have a passion for resource management because it is imperative that we enjoy outdoor recreation while respecting nature to protect and restore all of the natural resources we have. I’ve had the pleasure of working in all different fields in the park system from visitor services to maintenance, and I find myself gravitating towards anything involving outdoor recreation.”
For Sarah King, the outdoors has always been a passion, a passion she wanted to turn into a career. “When I first pictured my career in parks I always imagined moving out west right away, but working in these beautiful places that I grew up exploring gave me a newfound appreciation for everything around me including all parks big and small. At this point in my life, everything has lined up for this journey finally. I am thankful for my experience, and I am beyond excited to challenge myself. I love that in this career I am constantly inspired and pushing myself to be better. Every person I have met so far in the park system has been a mentor in their own way, and I have felt nothing but support in reaching my goals! Alaska has always been a dream to me, but now it is coming true!”