In his natural habitat

Drew Jaime has always felt at home in nature, but it was not until he arrived at Kansas State University that he found the community that matched his passion: the Park Management and Conservation Club. A third-year student from Shawnee, Kansas, studying park management and conservation, Jaime knew early on that he wanted to pursue a career in the outdoors.

“Growing up, I always knew I loved the outdoors,” Jaime says. “By the time I was in middle school, I realized I wanted to have a career where I could be outside. I just did not know what that career was.”

For this outdoor enthusiast, the Park Management and Conservation Club provided a place to combine his career aspiration and love of nature, offering a variety of opportunities and activities.

A Natural Connection

Jaime joined the club in his first year after seeing flyers and listening to speakers in class.

“The club aligns really well with my major,” Jaime says. “It’s for people who love the outdoors and enjoy spending time in nature.”

His enthusiasm for the environment inspired him to get involved with the club, seeing it as a way to unite his studies with what he enjoys most.

“We’re a group of people who love and want to protect the outdoors,” Jaime says. “We get together and do fun activities like camping, volunteering, service projects and much more.”

To help students gain insight into the field, the club also hosts professional panels. Jaime and other members of the leadership team select park management and conservation experts to speak with club members, offering career advice, insights into different aspects of the field and opportunities for networking.

For Jaime, who is unsure of his exact career path, these experiences have helped him continuously learn and explore how he can positively contribute to the betterment of the outdoors.

“Hearing different speakers has helped me see the kinds of experiences out there,” Jaime says. “It’s been really helpful asking them about their daily roles, lessons learned and any advice they can share.”

The best advice Jaime has received is to be flexible and able to adapt to different situations.

“I learned early on that you can’t control the weather,” Jaime says. “We’re at the will of Mother Nature, and that’s been a good reminder from speakers to be adaptable in whatever career I choose.”

Passion Meets Purpose

The club offers members several leadership, community service and hands-on learning experiences. Jaime believes these experiences are what make the Park Management and Conservation Club stand out from others on campus.

“Campouts are my favorite,” Jaime says. “It’s fun spending time with other students who love being outdoors, but we also balance that with service projects like trash clean-ups on campus and around the community.”

The club’s activities are designed to prepare students and future professionals to care for parks, agriculture land and natural resources. For Jaime, those experiences have enhanced his time at K-State and align perfectly with the focus of his degree.

“Park management is a really unique major within the College of Agriculture,” Jaime says. “The club reflects that because we’re not entirely ag-oriented, but instead we focus on those protected spaces and parks that people like to enjoy.”

Servant Leader

Jaime joined the Park Management and Conservation Club during its restructuring in 2023, allowing him to become part of the leadership team and help shape the club to better support students. His first leadership role was as recruiting coordinator in 2023, and he has since been elected as the undergraduate president.

The club is for both undergraduate and graduate students. Jaime believes this creates a unique structure that drives collaboration between the two groups. He co-leads the club alongside the graduate president and works with the officer team and members to plan activities that appeal to everyone.

“As president, my role is to run meetings and lead the club in activities and student opportunities,” Jaime says.

For Jaime, watching the club grow has been incredibly rewarding.

Jaime is excited about the club’s continued growth. Currently, about 35% of members are not enrolled in the park management and conservation major. He hopes more students will connect with the program and, of course, develop a love for nature along the way.

“We meet every couple of weeks for meetings or field activities,” Jaime says. “Following our Instagram is a great way for students to stay up to date on what we’re doing and when.”

There are no official processes or fees to join, so Jaime encourages everyone to participate in the club’s events.

Roots in Community

“The club has helped me build good leadership skills,” Jaime says. “Being able to facilitate interactions between professionals and students, planning activities and making big decisions has really helped me.”

Beyond leadership skills, the club has allowed Jaime to connect with like-minded peers both within and outside of his degree program. He says the club helping him build relationships with students across campus.

Jaime believes every student should find a group on campus that matches their interests, just as the Park Management and Conservation Club has for him.

“I’ve really found a community,” Jaime says. “More than that, I’ve discovered my passion for nature, and I feel much more prepared to enter my career.”

###

Emma Sutherly is a senior in agricultural and natural resources communications. This story originally appeared in the spring 2026 edition of The Agriculturist — the student-produced magazine of the College of Agriculture.