James Miculka

Working for the US National Park Service led James Miculka to study resource management at Edinburgh. His career has since taken him to Guam, New Orleans, New York and Texas with the same employer.

Your time at the University

The US National Park Service was interested in having a member of their agency look at the way national parks were managed in the United Kingdom and the University of Edinburgh was the choice.

I lived in Milnes Court initially with a room above the Ensign Ewart Pub. I ended up knowing the owner and he gave me a job to manage the place while I was studying. Best job commute I ever had, all of 45 seconds from the flat to work. While at the University, I met my wife, a native Scot who was studying French. We married not long afterwards and probably the best souvenir that I brought back from my time in Scotland.

Tell us about your experiences since leaving the University

I have continued to work for the National Park Service in places like Guam and New Orleans and am now duty stationed with the Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

I manage a partnership where we place park rangers and volunteers on Amtrak, the passenger rail network to provide on-board education programs to folks traveling by train. I split my time between the University and serve as part of the management team for the National Parks of New York Harbor which includes the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Islands, which is ironic in that my wife is a Scottish immigrant to the US.

​​​​​​​I manage a partnership where we place park rangers and volunteers on Amtrak, the passenger rail network to provide on-board education programs to folks traveling by train.

Alumni wisdom

My advice is carpe diem, seize the moment and take advantage of them. Some may not always work out but they offer a lesson in seizing the next moment the next time around.

Related links

North American alumni community

US National Park Service (external link)