Monday, March 18, 2019

Taking The ProRanger Path

Hello, Everyone.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Connor Caruso, and I am a part of Cohort 7 in the Temple ProRanger Program. I am a junior environmental studies major and criminal justice minor in the College of Liberal Arts at Temple University. In order for everyone to get to know me, let me provide you with a background describing my path towards Temple and the ProRanger program, involvement with organizations that allow me to give back and help others, and aspirations for my summer internship.

When deciding what to study and where to apply for college, I grappled with how to incorporate my many interests and passions into one area or field of study. I knew that I wanted to work outdoors, promote my passion for environmental stewardship, and help others, but I never thought that I could combine them all. However, after researching what Temple has to offer, I discovered the ProRanger Program during my senior year of high school. Excited by the potential to be a part of a program that provides the training and skills necessary to work in a diverse and multifaceted work environment as a federal law enforcement park ranger, I decided to apply to Temple and declare an environmental studies major. After my first few years at Temple, I was accepted into the ProRanger program. With this new opportunity, I decided to declare a criminal justice minor in order to familiarize myself with the criminal justice system and gain pertinent knowledge for a future career as a law enforcement officer.

So, why am I interested in becoming a NPS law enforcement officer? My interest stems from a desire to work in a dynamic environment where I have the ability to explore the outdoor world, cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards, serve and protect the environment, and help others along the way. Luckily, Temple has provided me with many opportunities and experiences that serve to prepare me for work within the National Park Service.

One of these experiences is demonstrated in my work with the Temple Community Garden. The Temple Community Garden is a student run organization that cares for a garden situated on a plot of land adjacent to Temple’s main campus. The garden serves as an educational environment where community members and students are encouraged to come and participate in the gardening process. The space helps combat food insecurity and access issues present both on and off campus by providing the surrounding community with access to sustainably grown produce. As the president of the organization, I have the opportunity to share my passion for environmental stewardship with others while giving back to the community.

Sharing my gardening knowledge with a fellow Temple student during weekly garden hours.

In order to help others in a greater capacity, I am currently working on obtaining my National Registry EMT certification. While I continue to take classes and learn new skills, I volunteer weekly with the Good Fellowship Ambulance Club to put my knowledge to the test and help those in times of need. I look forward to becoming a registered EMT and bringing those skills with me to my summer internship.


Preparing the ambulance prior to a volunteer shift with GFAC.





I have not found out what park I will be going to for my summer internship, but I will be happy with any park I am assigned to. I am excited to meet current NPS Rangers and explore what it is like to work within the park service. My favorite parks are those with hiking trails, wildlife, and historic features. I am thrilled to be a part of the ProRanger program and look forward to sharing what park I will be going to and the experiences I have along the way!



Friday, March 15, 2019

Introduction

Hi everyone,
My name is Brunilda Bilalaj, and I am a senior majoring in criminal justice here at Temple. To tell you a little bit about myself, I am from Albania and moved to the U.S six years ago. I attended last year of high school in Philadelphia where I graduated with the highest honors and got the president’s award for educational excellence in my graduating class. I took a year off after finishing high school and worked full time. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study so during that time I did a bit of research. I decided to start at the Community College of Philadelphia as a criminal justice major. I fell in love with the major and decided I would pursue it. I graduated from CCP and got my associate's degree then transferred to Temple. The atmosphere at Temple was very welcoming and unique.
There are many reasons why I choose criminal justice as a major and law enforcement as my future occupation. I wanted to be able to give back. Everything that this great country gave me, I wanted to contribute and become a public servant. I want to be able to help people in need and be there if emergencies arise, I want to be able to educate and inform when it’s appropriate, I want to be able to detect and deter harmful behavior, I want to have adrenaline rushing experiences that make every day different and most importantly I wanted to be able to adapt, learn and challenge myself.
I could be a police officer with any one of the thousands of police agencies in the country so why National Park Service and why ProRanger program?
The answer is simple, and I put it this way, you think you’ve seen it all, and then, you go to work. Being part of the National Park Service through the program is a fantastic opportunity. We hopefully will get to work in some of the most beautiful and significant places in the country. When you think you’ve seen it all, you visit a park, and you get shocked by all the wonders, beauties and powerful stories these places carry. No matter where in the National Park Service you work as a law enforcement officer, I’m sure that many of them at least one time in their career have seen something that blew them away. Well, that doesn’t happen as a city police officer. The ProRanger program is an enormous project, and it requires lots of energy and effort to be put together. It's a unique opportunity to educate, challenge and prepare us physically, mentally, emotionally for what is coming next. It is a hidden gem at Temple that not a lot know about its existence. The program provides a direct path to future careers by giving us so much to make us better people and better candidates. I want to thank everyone and anyone that we have met in the past months through the program and their willingness to help, guide, mentor and answer our questions. I appreciate all the support, and I’m sure the other ProRangers do too.
I am not going to be going on a LE internship this summer; however, I will be volunteering to work at Independence NHP. I will be working alongside other departments in the park such as interpretation, administration and maybe some LE. I want to be able to get a broader sense of what each department does and how they cooperate while I prepare for my LE internship next summer. I am very excited and looking forward to new experiences.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Welcome New ProRangers

The ProRanger Program welcomes Cohort 7 to the program.


Francis Bednarczyk
Brunilda Bilalaj
Daniel Boyce
Connor Caruso
Sarah Dover
Trevor Gardner
Destiny A Greene
Anna Howard
Tom Kidd
Quinn Kirlew
Hannah Moore
Tim O'Hanlon
Carlos E. Orellana
Laura M. Patton
Dylan T. Stephens
Tirzah E. Terry
Johan J Urena

Check back soon to learn about our 2019 Partner Parks.

Welcome New ProRangers

The ProRanger Program welcomes Cohort 7 to the program.


Francis Bednarczyk
Brunilda Bilalaj
Daniel Boyce
Connor Caruso
Sarah Dover
Trevor Gardner
Destiny A Greene
Anna Howard
Tom Kidd
Quinn Kirlew
Hannah Moore
Tim O'Hanlon
Carlos E. Orellana
Laura M. Patton
Dylan T. Stephens
Tirzah E. Terry
Johan J Urena

Check back soon to learn about our 2019 Partner Parks.