USU Uintah Basin Alum Named Northeastern Region Supervisor by UDWR

Miles Hanberg, a 2008 Utah State University Uintah Basin graduate, was named the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) Northeastern Regional (NER) supervisor. Through his education, Hanberg has successfully blended his love and passion for the outdoors with his career. 

“I have always loved the outdoors and animals, so this career has been a perfect fit,” said Hanberg. “Getting a degree from USU Uintah Basin was the ideal scenario for me to get started in this career.”

When Hanberg started his degree at USU Uintah Basin, he was able to get seasonal employment with the UDWR after only taking two wildlife program courses. He was able to gather valuable field experience by working seasonal UDWR positions while completing his degree. 

“This was facilitated in part by the evening courses offered at USU Uintah Basin,” said Hanberg. “In addition, I participated in undergraduate research projects with Rich Etchberger, strengthening my knowledge and experience base.”

These types of opportunities are not typical of larger campuses with high student populations. USU Uintah Basin provides a unique opportunity to gain skills that give students a competitive advantage when entering the workforce. Hanberg gained hands-on training in the field and work experience while in school that prepared him for permanent employment soon after graduating. 

Without a degree, Hanberg would never have been in a position to work full-time for the UDWR. According to Hanberg state wildlife agencies have a minimum education requirement of a bachelor’s degree for most positions. 

“My bachelor’s, combined with work experience I gained during my degree, prepared me for the job market and gave me a competitive edge,” Hanberg said.

In 2008, Hanberg earned his bachelor’s in fisheries and wildlife biology. Since then, he has worked for the UDWR. As the new NER supervisor, Hanberg is responsible for overseeing five of the six main sections of the region: outreach, habitat, wildlife, aquatics and support services. While he does not directly supervise the law enforcement section, he continues to work closely with them to address wildlife needs in the region. He manages a team of 40 permanent employees, as well as 30 seasonal employees during the summer. 

“Working with diverse groups of people to develop teams and coalitions has been essential in preparing me for this position,” said Hanberg. “That experience and my degree were vital in getting this job.”

While attending USU Uintah Basin, Hanberg enjoyed the flexibility of weekend and evening classes. Smaller classes were also a major benefit and gave him the opportunity to interact and network with his professors to gain more hands-on lab and research experience.