Beyond the Lab: How Katia Chavez Fused Wildlife Biology with Community Advocacy

When recent graduate Katia Chavez first arrived at the University of Montana, she envisioned a traditional scientific path: graduating with a degree in Wildlife Biology and working as a field biologist for the federal government.

But throughout her tenure at UM, Katia chose to look beyond the lab and the lecture hall. By diving into local volunteer work, spearheading campus diversity initiatives, and producing bilingual documentaries, Katia completely transformed her career trajectory.

Graduating in 2026, Katia has masterfully blended her passion for wildlife science with deep community advocacy. Here is how she pursued unique experiential learning opportunities to launch a career in the nonprofit and environmental education sectors.

The Strategy: Stacking Science, Service, and Storytelling

Katia intentionally sought out community-focused and scientific opportunities around Missoula, developing an elite professional portfolio that combined hard scientific data with deep intercultural communication:

  • Community-Centered Volunteering: Katia dedicated extensive time to Soft Landing Missoula, volunteering at their youth tutoring nights to provide one-on-one teaching in reading, writing, math, and biology. She also helped organize a successful community fundraiser to purchase curtains for Soft Landing’s monthly culturally sensitive women’s swim nights—a program she counts as a major highlight of her college career.
  • Bilingual Documentary Filmmaking: After taking a documentary class in Fall 2025 focused on women in wildlife, Katia fell in love with the medium and independently produced a second film. Conducted entirely in Spanish, her documentary featured five international students and faculty, highlighting their resiliency, their incredible scientific research, and the unique barriers they face in STEM fields in the United States.
  • Founding a Campus Chapter: Recognizing the need for a dedicated space on campus where students could celebrate culture, diversity, and a passion for science, Katia founded the UM chapter of SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) after attending a national conference.
  • Hands-on Botanical Research: To deepen her scientific background alongside her senior thesis, Katia pursued volunteer work with the MONTU Herbarium, gaining specialized experience with regional plant collections.

The Career Pivot: Discovering the Power of Nonprofits

Immersing herself in Missoula’s service-related activities altered Katia’s career goals. Witnessing firsthand how deeply invested, small communities can impact a city, she pivoted her focus from federal employment to the nonprofit sector.

This multi-faceted approach to her education paid off immediately. Katia has already secured a position in eastern Montana as a songbird technician, where she will spend several months identifying the same bird species she focused on for her senior thesis.

Following that role, her hands-on volunteer work with the MONTU Herbarium directly helped her land a position in New Mexico with the Institute for Applied Ecology, a nonprofit organization dedicated to habitat restoration.

She is also currently in the interview process for a bilingual environmental educator position—a role that sits perfectly at the intersection of her wildlife degree and her four years of community advocacy.

When I started college, I envisioned myself working as a Wildlife Biologist for the federal government,” Katia reflects. “After engaging in volunteer opportunities around Missoula, I now hope to work for a nonprofit organization because I have witnessed just how impactful these small, yet deeply invested communities are… These experiences brought opportunities to build skills like self-reflection, empathy, cultural sensitivity, and professional growth.

Career Lessons from Katia’s Journey

  • Volunteer work directly builds professional networks. Katia’s time at the MONTU Herbarium wasn’t just a resume filler—it was the exact experience that landed her a post-grad role with the Institute for Applied Ecology. Volunteering is often the fastest way to prove your skills to prospective employers.
  • STEM and human services are a powerful combination. You don’t have to choose between being a scientist and being a community advocate. Bringing cross-cultural communication, fundraising experience, and bilingual skills to the scientific field makes you an incredibly competitive candidate for modern organizations.
  • Protect your boundaries during a busy college career. Balancing high-level academics with extensive community involvement can easily become overwhelming. As Katia advises, prioritizing your physical and mental health means learning to set firm boundaries and knowing when to say “no” to protect your time.

Take Action on Your Career Journey

By Keely Morrison
Keely Morrison Marketing and Communications Manager
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