Page 29 - 20-21 Annual Report
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“Since its first year as an exp3 site in Technician, inviting her to share it
2013, DJM has done a phenomenal job with interested alumnae. Cynthia
of including hands-on experiences on recalled Mary’s interest in the field
exp3 day,” said Cynthia Wilhelm, Director and that her college and degree
of CJA’s Career, College & Wellness program aligned, so she reached
(CCW) Center. “We work really hard to out to Mary with the opportunity.
create meaningful experiences where “I was ecstatic when Mrs. Wilhelm
students get a realistic glimpse of what contacted me about working with DJM
it would look and feel like to enter a over the summer,” Mary said. “Not a lot
certain career field, and DJM has been a of internships would take me after only
great partner with us in that mission.” my freshman year, but since I had the
In the past, some students have been connection with DJM in high school and
surprised to find themselves on job the interest in the field, they hired me!”
sites, pulling weeds with DJM. “It’s exactly what the Corporate Partners
“A lot of people have a misconception Initiative is about,” Cynthia said. “We
of what habitat restoration or ecological want to help our students explore a
services entails,” Doug Bauer, President vast variety of career fields while they
of DJM, said. “We aim to eliminate that are in high school and facilitate these
misconception and give students a meaningful connections that come back
realistic experience so they can make around and turn into real opportunities.”
an informed decision later as to if this is And in the ecological services field,
the right career path for them or not.” making these connections and gaining
For Mary, it was right. Thanks to her exp3 these experiences early is especially key.
experience, she knew during her college “In our field, there’s a big combination
search that she wanted to find a university of hard and soft skills,” Doug said. “It’s
with some type of environmental science better to get people started young and
program. Iowa State University was on have them gain exposure to everything so
her list of options. When she visited, that when they are ready to get to work,
they recommended she explore the they are adequately prepared with their
school’s natural resources department. education and actual work experience.
“Seeing an entire department Someone like Mary, who now has had
dedicated to natural resources made exposure to this line of work since she
me realize that there were so many was 16, is going to have better chances
options within this field,” Mary for upward mobility while she’s young.”
said. “And that got me excited.” It’s been a win-win for both parties.
Mary chose Iowa State University For Mary, she is learning those hard
and entered the school’s College of and soft skills, and gaining valuable
Agriculture and Life Sciences in the experience earlier in her educational
fall of 2020. She declared a Forestry career than most. For DJM, they are
major within its Natural Resources spreading the word about their field
Department and is on track to graduate to bright young women at Cor Jesu,
with a bachelor’s degree in forestry who might be interested, but, like
and minor in animal ecology in 2024. Mary, may not otherwise know how
Fortunately, Mary won’t just graduate to define their interests in a job title.
with her degree, but also with valuable Who knows? Maybe someday, it will be
field experience that connects back Mary in the driver’s seat, and a future
to her exp3 day visit with DJM. Cor Jesu graduate riding along to Iowa
In the spring of 2021, while exchanging for her first data collection trip with
emails about plans for DJM’s ninth DJM…all because of the connections and
exp3 day, Doug sent Cynthia the job experiences created through CJA’s ever-
description for a summer Restoration growing Corporate Partners Initiative.
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