Tracking Wildlife, Building Futures: USU Eastern Student Shares Hands-On Experience, Mentorship

For Tanyon Allred, a student in the USU Eastern Wildlife Program, education isn’t confined to the classroom — it’s lived out in the field, alongside wildlife and professionals who dedicate their lives to conservation.

“My favorite hands-on experience is a toss-up,” Allred says. “It’s between going out with a net gun to collar mule deer or tracking a black bear to her den this spring and being able to put a collar on her. Either way, both were unforgettable.”

This kind of immersive fieldwork is a cornerstone of USU Eastern’s Wildlife Program. Students like Allred are regularly working alongside experts from the Division of Wildlife Resources, Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Forest Service. These experiences provide real-world connections and a clear path toward future careers in wildlife management and conservation.

“The program is great with getting you connections with people already in the workforce,” Allred says. “A lot of the hands-on work we do in class is directly with the DWR, DNR or USFS, which makes it easy to see where we could end up.”

At the heart of this experience are mentors who go above and beyond. Allred credits Sunshine Brosi and her husband, Dan Feller, for creating an environment where students thrive.

“The support has been great here at Eastern,” he says. “Dr. Brosi and Dan have been amazing. They make sure we get the best experience we could ever wish for.”

From tracking wild animals to building a career rooted in conservation, Allred’s story is just one example of how USU Eastern’s Wildlife Program is preparing the next generation of stewards for Utah’s natural resources.