Oceana McBride lived the nightmare of being laid off from her dream job. 

McBride was a Recreation Fee Technician at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming for three years, two of which were seasonal. Her contract was terminated during her probationary period after 11 months of full-time employment. However, she mentioned that there were some "inklings" and she "saw it coming."

According to McBride, the federal government's termination letter contained a message stating that McBride's performance did not meet the department's standards, but did not explicitly state poor performance. The federal government also did not fire employees with the park service for over a year, veteran workers, furloughed employees and seasonal employees. 

"I did something that I wanted to do for decades, and I still absolutely love the park service," McBride said. "I don't blame them for anything that's currently happening or may continue to happen. They are at the whims of the department of the interior as well as the current administration."

 McBride acknowledged the fluidity of the order and how nothing is constant. After the end of the hiring freeze and firings, speculated to be in April or May, she plans on reapplying and trying to reclaim her spot in the park service.

"With things changing the way they are, and with some of the information that has been published from the current administration, I genuinely hope that people keep supporting the park service as they have been," McBride said.

Because of the effects of the mass firings that linger on, Michigan State University students who aspire to go into a career in the National Park Service or an environmental career have been impacted and are expressing concern. 

This order, being one of several executive actions that Trump released that harms the environment and represses environmental activism, has made students fearful for the futures of their careers.

"When you think of the ecosystem and biodiversity as a whole, you have to understand that everything works together, and so the fact that our government doesn't understand that and is actively working in ways that will harm the environment is pretty scary coming from where I am," fisheries and wildlife junior Makayla Perrault said. 

In terms of the National Parks, Perrault is concerned about how terminations and reduced staffing will lead to a decline in the quality of the parks. Perrault also explained that these actions will make visitors less inclined to come to the parks, which can open the door for additional oil drilling — which will have a lasting impact on the environment. 

Applied conservation biology sophomore Zoe Kilbourn and fisheries and wildlife junior Paige Greene, who are members of the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club, also voiced concern over the impact these orders and mass firings could have on students. Both members described the club's role as a support system for students to attend conferences and form a community for mutual support during these uncertain times.

"My first reaction was being devastated for those employees and their families," Kilbourn said. 

Greene expressed concern for job security in the field. With the current lack of permanent graduates, the National Park Service provided internships and positions for gaining experience, which was essential for gaining experience. 

"I think it's going to be harder than it already is to get into our field out of undergraduate or even in undergraduate," Greene said. "I believe what's happening with just the National Parks has already started to cause a barrier for people to get into the field."

However, students haven't lost hope and still have aspirations for a better, more environmentally friendly government. 

"I hope for a government that can openly say that climate change is real and that it's an issue and it's something that we need to put on the very, very top of the our priority list," Kilbourn said. 

McBride encouraged students to pursue unconventional jobs, like being a park ranger, and to not be afraid to try new things. She also showed determination to reclaim her own future. 

"Hopefully, people will realize that there's other unconventional options out there," McBride said. "Because how many people love the National Park Service? So many people ... You don't have to be doing the corporate ladder or whatever, there are other options and if that's what you're wanting to do, you should really go do it."