Makenna Shamion
Student, Class of 2027
Hometown
Cannon Beach, Oregon
shamion_makenna

Extracurricular Activities

-I am the treasurer of the beekeeping club -I do the social media managing for the natural science program -I'm doing a carnivore research project -I am on the sustainability committee -I have a part-time Oregon Tech job through the Water & Soils Conservation Association -I have a full-time Oregon Tech job through the forest service doing goshawk conservation surveying -I train with the Oregon Tech golf team

A Little Bit About Me

I grew up in Cannon Beach, OR and went to school at Seaside High School all up until my senior year. My senior year is when my family moved down to Baker City, OR where I ended up graduating at BHS. I love Baker and all the people in it, but Cannon Beach will forever be "where I'm from". Cannon Beach is part of who I am, it's where I developed a love for surfing, a love for the ocean and the mountains, and it's where I decided on my future career: Environmental Scientist. I grew up being so connected to the environment, and being born on earth day didn't really help. As a kid, I used to make awareness posters for endangered species in my local area and would post them all over the town. I dreamed of the day I'd get to help make a difference and now, I'm going to college to do exactly that.

Why I Chose Oregon Tech and My Major

I chose Oregon Tech because it was the most affordable school in the state, and it had a great program for my major. I have always known that I wanted to major in environmental science. I grew up having an extremely large passion for wildlife and biology and have always had a goal to do abroad wildlife conservation as a career, and Oregon Tech has an amazing program for someone wanting to go into that field.

My Influential Professors

My most influential professors have been Jherime Kellerman, Ethan Howard, and Nate Bickford. These professors, especially Kellerman, have put so much work into helping me start my environmental science career path. With Kellerman being my academic advisor, I approached him for help with ENV job applications. He helped me with my resume and gave me a list of jobs to apply for, as well as a list of study-abroad programs since I've recently taken an interest in that. Bickford gave me a summer job and lots of advice in starting a career in science/ research, which was all very helpful. The professors in the natural science program are honestly amazing.

My Greatest Learning Experience At Oregon Tech

The greatest learning experience that I have learned at Oregon Tech has been to never turn down an opportunity. Since attending Oregon Tech, I have been given so many opportunities. They have given me more knowledge and experience, and it's those experiences that have allowed me to grow into the person that I am today. These experiences not only helped build my resume, but they built me connections with some really amazing people. As a student, I have learned that taking those risks and opportunities is the most important thing to do.

My Plans After Graduation

My plan is to travel abroad to Costa Rica in the summer of my junior year and work for a conservation association while I'm down there. I am hoping to do my master's project overseas in Costa Rica as well and plan on moving down there after graduation. Once I graduate with my degree, I plan on doing abroad wildlife conservation full-time as a field biologist. Years after graduation I am hoping to be running my own research project doing wildlife biology/conservation.