University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) alumnus Connor Roessler (MS ’22) has had a passion for environmental science since majoring in the subject at the University of Virginia (UVA) for his undergraduate degree. It wasn’t until he pursued a fellowship with the City of Greenbelt, Maryland, focused on environmental community engagement and then a job with the Cacapon Institute of West Virginia in watershed education, that he became interested in the intersection of the environment and education. 

“I didn’t have any education background,” Roessler said. “I loved talking to people, but didn’t know the theories of education and the pedagogy background.”

That is when he decided to consider graduate programs that focused on environmental education. According to Roessler, he chose to attend SEAS because of the deep history the school has with environmental education. He credits the flexibility of the SEAS curriculum in allowing him to take classes in other departments, like the School of Education, in addition to Behavior Education, and Communication classes at SEAS. 

“I chose SEAS because I didn’t just want education classes without thinking about how the environment plays into that,” he said. “I wanted to focus on place-based education and how to communicate that in terms of the environment.”

Another reason Roessler chose to attend SEAS was because of its master’s project requirement. “My goal was to go back into the workforce," he said, "and I felt like the project would be beneficial for that.”

Roessler was able to focus on environmental education and communication through his project with the Inland Seas Education Association, a nonprofit centered on educating the public about the Great Lakes watershed. Roessler noted that he was particularly interested in the project due to its focus on educating the public on the importance of the watershed, given his experience with environmental education focused around K-12 students.

Roessler said another pivotal SEAS experience was working with his advisor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Michaela Zint. Roessler said he was able to work with her on a project without taking her class. 

“I worked with her on a small research project interviewing people who work for the Bay Watershed Education and Training program (B-WET),” he said. “I was able to get a fellowship with B-WET through connections made during that research project.” 

His involvement with the B-WET program allowed Roessler to explore his interest in water management. While studying at UVA during his undergraduate degree, he was involved in community engagement efforts with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. After moving to Michigan, he saw a similar connection between water and communities in the Great Lakes region and the Chesapeake Bay. 

“Water is a connecting point for people,” he said. “I see the same value of the Chesapeake Bay in the Great Lakes that water is connecting the community.”

Roessler is now a program specialist at the Great Lakes Commission, where he says he draws on his SEAS experience in his everyday work. 

“From inside and outside of the classroom at SEAS, I gained an understanding of how to talk to different audiences, whether that is K-12 students or commissioners, legislators and agencies heads, like I do now,” he said. “I learned how to translate interesting innovative science to a level that is understandable.” 

While Roessler came to SEAS thinking he was going to get a job in environmental education in Michigan upon graduating, he believes that thinking broadly about the work he wanted to do, keeping an open mind, and not pigeonholing himself into the environmental education field allowed him to find the position he has now.

“The Great Lakes Commission position came up and while I wouldn’t be talking to kids, my experiences and perspectives were applicable to the position,” he said. “I realized I can bring the principles from environmental education to somewhere else that could be useful.”

Roessler recommends that SEAS students not limit themselves when applying for jobs.

“Do not sell yourself short,” he said. “There are certain skills that you gain from SEAS that you haven’t even thought about.” 

Roessler said he thinks back on his SEAS memories fondly. 

“My first full year at SEAS was remote, so the second year where I was a GSI for ecology doing labs outside and having those first in-person interactions with students was a highlight.”