EHSM Careers Conference

EHSM Careers Conference, November 3, 2023                                                                             

Graduates of NSU’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Management (EHSM) program are employed by hundreds of companies and non-profit organizations all over the world.   On November 3, a large group of these graduates spent the morning discussing career opportunities in EHSM with current NSU students at the Environmental, Health, and Safety Management Careers Conference hosted by faculty from the EHSM program and the College of Business and Technology.  

EHSM alumni who participated included Brandon Robbins (VP The Ross Group, Tulsa), Amy Russell (Davis H. Elliot Company, Tulsa),  Aaron Smith (The Ross Group, Tulsa), Kenneth Bond (Oklahoma Department of Labor, OKC), Dr. Mike Thayer (OSU, Tulsa), Brooke Butler (EDF Renewables, San Diego), Emily Akin (AAON, Tulsa), Courtney Knudson (AAON, Tulsa), Kevin Cotner (The Hartford, Broken Arrow), Greg Williams (Travelers Insurance, Tulsa), Tom Rumbley (VP Amerisafe Insurance, Fort Gibson), Stacey Murray, (Environmental Works, Tulsa), Owen Lingle (HF-Sinclair, Wichita), Wesley O’Neill (HF-Sinclair, Wichita), and Chelsea Jones (Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah).  

An important step in the career of an EHSM student is the completion of an internship where they receive on the job training as an EHSM professional under the supervision of experienced mentors.  Three current students who have served or are currently completing internships shared their internship experiences with other students.  Austin Fry is currently working as an EHSM intern with AAON in Tulsa.  Canyon Deem shared his experiences as a two-time summer intern with the Ross Group.  Hunter Webb told current students about his experience as an EHSM intern in the oil and gas industry with Continental Resources in Oklahoma City and southwest Oklahoma.  

EHSM graduates have the opportunity to work in a variety of industry sectors including hospitality, entertainment, manufacturing, construction, oil and gas, insurance and finance, medicine, transportation, alternative energy, and more.  Every industry has positions for EHSM professionals.  Graduates may also find employment and a rewarding career in a variety of government agencies at the local, state, tribal, and federal levels.  Agencies such as the Cherokee Nation, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality employee graduates of NSU’s EHSM program.  

The conference was structured into eight sessions with each session covering a separate industry sector.  Experts from each industry sector served as panelists answering student questions about careers in that field.  The morning began with an overview of the Environmental, Health, and Safety Management profession presented by Dr. Doug Martin.  For the remainder of the morning students attended sessions focused on construction, manufacturing, government sector careers, environmental management, oil and gas, and insurance and finance.  During the lunch session, which ended the conference, Chelsea Jones discussed careers with the Cherokee Nation and the environmental protection initiatives and programs administered by the Cherokee Nation.   

Students and graduates enjoyed the event and most importantly learned valuable information about careers in Environmental, Health, and Safety Management.  The event may become an annual or biennial event on NSU’s Tahlequah Campus.