{"id":2195,"date":"2023-01-09T09:00:43","date_gmt":"2023-01-09T17:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2195"},"modified":"2025-02-04T14:19:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T22:19:26","slug":"changing-careers-marty-marrs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/changing-careers-marty-marrs\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Dream job’ empowers Oregon State grad to make an instant impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Aerial<\/p>\n

Changing careers and working with a career advisor led natural resources alumna to achieve her goals<\/h2>\n
Editor’s note:<\/strong> A version of this story was originally published on the Horizons blog by Oregon State\u2019s Career Development Center<\/a>.<\/div>\n
\n

Marty Marrs knew she had more to offer.<\/p>\n

Oregon State University helped her find it.<\/p>\n

When Marrs started thinking about changing careers, she knew one thing: This time, she wanted to do something that mattered to her.<\/p>\n

Marrs graduated from Oregon State after earning a B.S. in Natural Resources online<\/a> 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\u2019t as passionate about.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just knew I had so much more to offer, and so much more to give,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where Oregon State came in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A web search led Marrs, who was living in Georgia, to OSU Ecampus, where\u00a0programs offered by the College of Forestry\u00a0caught her eye. But she wasn\u2019t sure how to turn an interest in the natural world into an actual career. A combination of resources helped her connect the dots.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot

Marty Marrs is an impact assessment scientist who examines how humans interact with natural resources.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI was not your typical student,\u201d Marrs said. \u201cI was making a complete career change, and I was also coming off of 18 years of staying at home with my kids. There is a lot of value and wisdom that comes with that, but I didn\u2019t know how to show that value.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Marrs made an appointment with Britt Hoskins, the\u00a0career advisor<\/a>\u00a0for students in the College of Forestry.<\/p>\n

\u201cBritt helped me completely redesign my r\u00e9sum\u00e9,\u201d Marrs said. \u201cShe took the time to talk to me, to find out where I did have experience, and she taught me how to put that in a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 form. She showed me how to incorporate my OSU classes, and the projects I did in my classes, to build up my r\u00e9sum\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Marrs continued to take a full load of classes online through OSU Ecampus and also moved cross-country from Georgia to Oregon, to be closer to her daughter and closer to more companies in the environmental consulting field.<\/p>\n

Zeroing in on a new career<\/h3>\n

As graduation approached, Marrs began to zero in on jobs and companies she was interested in. When she saw a position open up with Environmental Resources Management<\/a>, a sustainability consultancy in Portland, Oregon, she was interested but apprehensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had that typical concern, where I thought, \u2018Oh, I can\u2019t check all the boxes for all the qualifications, so I don\u2019t know if this is going to work.\u2019 But I applied anyway,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She also scoured LinkedIn for potential connections at ERM, and found one \u2014 an acquaintance she\u2019d made through mountain biking who was happy to chat with her about working at the company.<\/p>\n

Putting knowledge to work out in the world<\/h3>\n

Marrs went through two rounds of interviews with the company. Even with all the networking, research, and preparation she\u2019d done, graduation was looming and Marrs still wasn\u2019t sure whether she would land the job \u2014 until she got the news she\u2019d been dreaming of.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my gosh!\u201d Marrs said. \u201cI followed Britt\u2019s steps, I did everything she said to do, and I got a job offer four weeks before graduating!\u201d<\/p>\n

Marrs now works in what she describes as her \u201cdream job\u201d \u2014 a position that makes a difference. She\u2019s an impact assessment scientist with ERM, studying the ways that natural resources and human dimensions intersect in the environment.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>I love being able to play a role in keeping natural resources available and safe for everyone. That was my goal and drive for going back to school.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She\u2019s part of a team that creates a variety of resource reports for clients within the oil and gas sector. The work involves coding and sorting public comments made to the National Environmental Policy Act and the Federal Energy Resource Commission. This enables Marrs to help \u201cmake sure that everyone\u2019s voice is heard and comments are addressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also works with a stormwater runoff team that conducts on-site inspections to look for pollutants that could possibly contaminate Portland\u2019s waters. In this role, she helps ensure that communities in industrial locations have access to safe water. More recently, she began a project related to a new solar farm.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the multifaceted work Marrs was meant to do in this new phase of her career. Even though it suits her well, she says \u201cthere are still obstacles to maneuver and learn.\u201d But true to her nature, she embraces the job\u2019s challenges, especially because so much is at stake.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love being able to play a role in keeping natural resources available and safe for everyone. That was my goal and drive for going back to school,\u201d Marrs said. \u201cMy work allows that goal to be reached.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd OSU Ecampus gave me access to the knowledge I needed to pursue my passion and goals of making an impact on human dimensions within our natural resources.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>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\u2019t as passionate about. \u201cI just knew I had so much more to offer, and so much more to give,” she said. That\u2019s where Oregon State came in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":2199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,3,677,8],"tags":[196,204,638],"class_list":["post-2195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-features","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-career-services","tag-college-of-forestry","tag-conservation-and-natural-sciences"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/News-environmental-resources-professional-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-zp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2035,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/2022-graduation-feature-story\/","url_meta":{"origin":2195,"position":0},"title":"On five continents, a record 1,680 Oregon State students earn their degrees online","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"June 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Nearly one in four members of the Oregon State University graduating Class of 2022 completed their degree requirements online through Oregon State Ecampus. Among them is Zak Evans, a former OSU wrestler who supplemented his on-campus undergraduate studies several years ago with some online classes during wrestling season. That experience\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Someone at a graduation ceremony with a decorated graduation cap that says 'adventure is out there'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/out-there-graduation-cap.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/out-there-graduation-cap.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/out-there-graduation-cap.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/out-there-graduation-cap.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2476,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/what-is-oregon-state-university-ecampus\/","url_meta":{"origin":2195,"position":1},"title":"What is Oregon State University Ecampus?","author":"Carly Fredericks","date":"February 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"New to Oregon State Ecampus? Read on for the highlights like our best-known programs, data points and our history.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A person is shown their hands on a keyboard, wearing a floral blouse and rings .","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Joann-Malumaleumu-271.20240209181023612.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Joann-Malumaleumu-271.20240209181023612.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Joann-Malumaleumu-271.20240209181023612.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Joann-Malumaleumu-271.20240209181023612.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":632,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/ecampus-success-resources\/","url_meta":{"origin":2195,"position":2},"title":"Degrees at a distance. Success at your fingertips.","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"November 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"At Oregon State University Ecampus, there\u2019s always a helping hand available to guide you toward your degree. From student success counseling to 24\/7 library support, online students have access to a variety of Oregon State resources from a distance. Read how graduates from the Ecampus class of 2017 enhanced their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Erin Mathias, a graduate of the fisheries and wildlife sciences degree program online, stands in front of a brick building on the OSU campus on graduation day.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Erin-Mathias-Main.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Erin-Mathias-Main.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Erin-Mathias-Main.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1776,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/2021-graduation-preview\/","url_meta":{"origin":2195,"position":3},"title":"To the Oregon State Ecampus Class of 2021, your time has come","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"June 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"June 2021 is the month you officially become a college graduate, the one in which you\u2019ll put a celebratory bow on all of your hard work and perseverance. You\u2019re primed to enter a community of thousands of Oregon State Ecampus graduates who are out there, changing the world.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A large black sign surrounded by red brick that reads \"Oregon State University\" in white lettering.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Sign-from-head-on.jpeg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Sign-from-head-on.jpeg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Sign-from-head-on.jpeg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Sign-from-head-on.jpeg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1655,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/online-tuition\/","url_meta":{"origin":2195,"position":4},"title":"Here or anywhere in the U.S., Oregon State Ecampus students pay the same tuition rate online","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"January 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The benefits of learning online with Oregon State are abundant, so much so that it can be hard to keep track of them all. Here\u2019s a trick to memorize them: Think of the word same. As in, OSU Ecampus students earn the same diploma as campus-based students. And no matter\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Oregon State Ecampus graduate Samantha Diaz sits at a table and uses a laptop. Tuition","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/samantha-diaz-osu-ecampus-tuition.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/samantha-diaz-osu-ecampus-tuition.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/samantha-diaz-osu-ecampus-tuition.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/samantha-diaz-osu-ecampus-tuition.jpg?fit=744%2C496&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":303,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/americas-natural-resources-university-oregon-state-university\/","url_meta":{"origin":2195,"position":5},"title":"America’s natural resources university | Oregon State University","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"May 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University is America's natural resources university, where our world-class faculty and forward-thinking students work collaboratively to protect our planet and help it thrive. And now you can join the cause by earning your Oregon State degree online. OSU Ecampus is a national leader in online education, delivering a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A hiker stands on a dry, rocky terrain looking out into the distance.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/anru-home.jpg?fit=658%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/anru-home.jpg?fit=658%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/anru-home.jpg?fit=658%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/63"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}