Ellen Digiacinto graduated from NHHS in 2011 and has been keeping busy in the state of Alaska as a Group Leader for Denali Education Center. As a Group Leader, Digiacinto takes tourists and community members on learning vacations through Denali National Park.
She focuses on hiking, learning about the plant and animal life of the area, and connecting with people from the community.
Digiacinto spoke about how she ended up in Alaska explaining, “My brother is currently based in the Air Force in Alaska, outside of Fairbanks. Last fall I took a trip to visit my brother in Alaska. I loved it there,” she continued, “Wild, untouched, wide-open vistas and just so much land for miles and miles. Absolutely stunning country. I have been working seasonally since I graduated college, so once last winter season ended, I decided to take a leap and apply for a job.”
Digiacinto graduated college with a bachelors in Environmental Studies and Sustainability from Northern Michigan University in 2015. She then completed an internship at Seney National Wildlife Refuge, which is a job that has prepared her for the position as a Group Leader for Denali Education Center.
She reported that Alaska never used to be a state that she was dying visit. However, she admitted that once she got there, she knew it was a place she needed to explore.
Traveling alone can be intimidating for many, but Digiacinto states, “Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith, and know that everything is going to work out.”
The graduate explored what the biggest influence in her move was and reported, “I think it was just the fact that I had the opportunity to go. I wasn’t tied to any place in the lower 48. I couldn’t really find a reason to not go! A lot of people wait their whole lives to get to Alaska!”
Digiacinto has made many memories in Alaska, especially memories with wildlife. She explained one of her most vivid memories that involved a cow (mama moose) and her calves (baby moose).
She said that her cabin had no running water, so she has to use an outhouse. She had just woken up and opened the door to go to the bathroom when she saw a huge cow and her two calves outside of her cabin.
She reported, “There she was! HUGE mother moose and two calves. They scared me and I scared them! I was really angry because they didn’t run too far and they stood in between me and the outhouse… so it was an uncomfortable morning.”
Digiacinto has taken the leap of faith to follow her passions and continues to pursue environmental work. She concluded, “There are many things I could say about living in Alaska, but this has been such a huge start in what I want to continue to do. I do want to pursue more environmental education positions. I look forward to another summer in Denali, and getting to travel a little more in massive Alaska”.