From Virgin Islands Youth to National Park Steward: A Story of Skill & Service

Photo courtesy: NPS photo. Retrieved from nps.gov

Interview excerpt from nps.gov

This is an interview with Oswald Marsh, a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands who found his career path through the National Park Service (NPS) after participating in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program as a teenager.

His mentorship with his grandfather, a skilled craftsman, sparked his interest in hands-on work. Through the YCC program, Oswald was introduced to the NPS’s mission and the importance of preserving history, culture, and nature. He then took on roles as a YCC leader, a COVID hire, and an HPTC intern, eventually securing a permanent position with the NPS.

Can you tell us about your background and how you first got involved with the National Park Service?

I am a United States Virgin islander living on the island of St. Croix. Raised as the sole offspring of my mother, I found a mentor and guide in my grandfather, a versatile individual who provided me with valuable skills. From an early age, his tutelage laid the groundwork for my personal and professional growth. He is a man of all trades. He made sure I was by his side, observing and learning with each project he worked on.