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Alana Pulkkinen, a Leavitt Area High School graduate, recently earned her degree from Washington County Community College, in Calais, and is now a ranger with the Nationaal Park Service.
Pulkkinen graduated with a degree in Adventure Recreation and Tourism.
Pulkkinen, who grew up in central Maine, was always a fan of the outdoors.
“My favorite activities as a child consisted of hunting, fishing, camping, and four wheeling – pretty much anything that had to do with the outdoors,” she said. “It was my playground.”
A number of factors attracted Pulkkinen to her post-graduate choice, including its small class sizes and its emphasis on in-the-field learning. “I’m a hands-on learner, and it helps to be able to participate in activities firsthand that you are learning,” she said.
After graduating in 2015, Pulkkinen was accepted into Colorado’s seasonal law enforcement academy. In January 2017, she applied to the National Park Service while still attending the academy, accepting her first position that May – working as a park ranger at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.
From there, Pulkkinen applied for a position at Yellowstone National Park, where she now has the official title of Back Country Law Enforcement Ranger.
Working as a park ranger for the National Park Service, Pulkkinen’s duties include trail work, working with stock, checking cabins, handling and verifying fishing permits. She also has the duties of a front country ranger, which include emergency medical services, search and rescue, fire response, vehicle stops, assisting visitors, and any other situations that may arise within the park’s boundaries.
