As a kid who loved nature, Hannah Evans grew up with what was perhaps the world’s best backyard — a 30,000-acre natural playground.
Evans, a senior in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management, graduates in May but her career path and passion for ecology and conservation are in her DNA.
It’s not every kid who aspires to be an ichthyologist, a biologist who studies different fish species, but most kids also don’t get to spend their free time exploring streams, rivers and lakes. It was her formative years living in parks across Texas, thanks to her dad’s position as a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, TPWD, park superintendent, that put her on that career path.
Evans’ earliest encounters with nature, wildlife and fish were at Colorado Bend State Park where her family lived until she was 9. The Colorado River runs through the park, which also features springs and waterfalls – an ideal place to foster a love of nature. She traces her drive to work in conservation and ecology studying fish to those formative experiences.
“My dad’s job meant that we lived onsite, which at times may have been unfortunate for him and my mom, to be so rural and isolated, but it was lucky for me and my two older brothers,” she said. “We got to live and explore where he worked, and that is an experience so few people get to have.”
Evans is an Aggie through and through
Evans also was born to be an Aggie. Her parents both graduated from Texas A&M. Her dad majored in natural resources in the same department. So, Evans is following in her dad’s footsteps – or perhaps hiking boots and waders. But it was more than family roots that brought her to Texas A&M.
Evans said it was ultimately the strength of the degree program that drew her to Aggieland. She could have studied the same subjects at other schools, but she said Texas A&M’s program for her major in rangeland, wildlife and fisheries management is unparalleled.
“Texas A&M was at the top of my list because it has such a strong program for what I wanted to study,” she said. “And of course there is the prestige that comes from attending Texas A&M and the foundation it establishes for your career.”
Below Evans shares some of her experiences she believes made her time at Texas A&M so valuable to her academic and personal life.
Which courses and professors have been the most impactful during your time at Texas A&M?
I’d have to say my favorite class has been ichthyology. Within my department, Dr. Melissa Shehane has been very influential and helpful in my career path. Within the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Dr. Joshuah Perkin has been very impactful to me.
I work as an undergraduate researcher for his Riverscape Ecology Lab. He’s influenced my future professional career so much — getting me hands-on experience with fisheries work across the state, meeting professionals and attending conferences.
What has been your best memory at Texas A&M so far?
Working in the research lab is where I created my best memories – in part because I met my fiancé Lucas Stevens there. Lucas is an ecology and conservation major and will be graduating in December.
My best personal memories revolve around getting to know him initially and then taking the next step to get engaged. To find someone who shares my passions who I also will get to share my life with is pretty cool and incredibly memorable.
What would you tell future students coming into your department?
I would tell other students to not be afraid to stand out. Do not be afraid to reach out to professors and talk to the person sitting next to you. Get to know your professors and fellow students. I think a lot of people don’t realize that your fellow students right now are going to be your colleagues later. It’s important to make these connections and start networking as soon as possible.
I would also say getting involved with professional organizations is so important. I’m the vice president of the student subunit of the American Fisheries Society right now, and we always love to have people who get involved. It has really opened a lot of doors for me being involved in professional societies.
What advice would you give your younger self if you could?
I wish I would have attended more football games, but I also would have told my younger self to continue to work hard and put effort into things while still living in the moment. I’m very much a planner; I was always thinking about the next step. Looking back now, I wish that I had savored some of those memories more and was more present in them.
What are your plans and career goals after leaving Texas A&M?
I would like to get into freshwater ecology, which includes streams, rivers and lakes. I want to manage the fisheries within them. Lucas and I would both love to work here in Texas, but those jobs with TPWD can be hard to get without experience – a lot of people want to work in our field in Texas.
We are hoping to get jobs in Arkansas or Missouri and gain experience we can then bring back to Texas to be hired for positions. We’d also like to be not too far from our families, which are both here in Texas.
As far as my other plans, I walk the stage on May 10 and get married on May 11 — so things are starting to get very busy. It is such an exciting time for me with so many of my dreams coming true all at once.
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