Student spotlight: Henry Wessels

We interviewed Henry Wessels at the beginning of his college experience at PWSC and again as he neared the completion of his Natural Resources Management Technician OEC program. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Henry moved to Salt Lake City, UT, about 2.5 years ago to pursue a life in the mountains.

When asked about his experiences at PWSC, Henry shared, "All the instructors are knowledgeable and approachable. The outdoor class time is a welcome change from my previous engineering studies. Valdez is stunning, and I'm looking forward to class trips to Cordova and our upcoming backpacking excursions this weekend and next. I couldn't have asked for a better start to the semester and program."

At the end of his semester, he reflected, "I couldn't be more grateful for PWSC, my instructors, classmates, the town of Valdez, and the grant funding that allowed me to come to this serene yet epic area of the country. This program was exactly what I was looking for when I decided to make a career change last winter. It's been an eventful and productive four months. While I'm excited to return to Salt Lake City and work in a field I'm passionate about; it will be difficult to board my flight on Saturday morning without feeling sad about leaving this place behind. Although I had to travel 4,000 miles to reach this corner of Alaska, I truly feel I have found myself here in Valdez."