Skip to main content

Request info

Conservation and natural sciences

Cluster tag

John Dusek in a graduation cap and gown with his wife and daughter presenting his dual degrees to him.

Making a difference through horticulture

4 minute read John Dusek loves his work and small town Michigan community, but he began to feel like something was missing. “I don’t know if it was a midlife crisis or what,” he says. “But I came to a point where I realized that there was much more potential in horticulture than just producing pretty things for people to look at. So I decided to go back to school.”

Marc Mains in baseball hat and backpack standing in office of Monteverde Institute

Oregon State Everywhere: ‘Live your life with passion and don’t be afraid to connect with others’

3 minute read For his online fisheries, wildlife, and conservations sciences degree, Marc Mains traveled to Costa Rica to intern as a wildlife researcher and says “I have grown personally and professionally from this experience as I gained valuable skills and knowledge.”

Aerial photo of Portland, Oregon, overlooking the Willamette River, bridges and buildings.

‘Dream job’ empowers Oregon State grad to make an instant impact

4 minute read Marty Marrs graduated from Oregon State after earning a B.S. in Natural Resources online through OSU Ecampus. Prior to that, she spent 18 years raising a family, which she loved, and also working in administrative jobs, which she wasn’t as passionate about. “I just knew I had so much more to offer, and so much more to give,” she said. That’s where Oregon State came in.

Jane Vinesky

Oregon State Everywhere: Finding community and support from all points on the map

3 minute read “Faculty made time to tutor me, teach me, counsel me, write recommendations and discuss professional opportunities. Although I was an Ecampus student, the Oregon State community is so strong that I felt its support from wherever I was in the world.” — Jane Vinesky, fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences graduate

Kaitlin Thurman, a master's in environmental sciences graduate, wearing a cap and gown

Environmental sciences online master’s program yields career rewards for graduate

3 minute read When she retraces the path that led to her current role as an environmental analyst for local government, Kaitlin Thurman points to four ways Oregon State Ecampus and its environmental sciences master’s program helped make her dream a reality.

A black and white photo of a flooded community taken from above showcases the extent of the Vanport disaster.

Intersectional education at work

4 minute read Lynette de Silva is co-director of Oregon State’s water conflict management and transformation program. She is one of many expert OSU faculty members looking at history through a new lens, asking important questions about things like how race played a part in disasters. Read about de Silva’s research into the 1948 Vanport flood.

Oregon State Everywhere: ‘Consider where you want to go, not where you are’

3 minute read Justin Nelson says the topics covered in Oregon State’s online environmental sciences master’s degree program are ideal for helping students who want to change careers “break into new markets and industries.” Earning a master’s led Justin to a new role working in corporate sustainability strategy.

Oregon State Everywhere: ‘Education is an investment in yourself, and you are worth it’

2 minute read “Here’s my advice to anyone who is considering going back to school: Go for it! There is no better time than now. … Education is an investment in yourself, and you are worth it. OSU Ecampus was user-friendly, with great support.” — Matt Bowling, Oregon State Ecampus graduate

Oregon State Everywhere: Geospatial technology, natural resources make a perfect pair online

3 minute read I was not a typical grad student. For years I’ve wanted to go back to school and get my master’s degree, but due to a number of life circumstances it just didn’t happen. Then, when I was about to turn 50 (yes, 50!) the opportunity came.

A photo of Fiona Wylde holding a paddleboard and paddle. Fiona is a geography and geospatial science student

Winning on the water and in the online classroom

3 minute read Fiona Wylde needed a rigorous degree program that would allow her to further her education while offering the flexibility to sustain her career as a world champion stand-up paddleboarder and windsurfer. She found everything she needed online with Oregon State.