Story: Lisa Sollie
Jason Williamson spent years making a living under the hood of vehicles, but he also had a passion for wildlife and the environment. Inspired in part by watching Steve Irwin, the famed 鈥淐rocodile Hunter,鈥� and later through volunteering at the Environmental Studies Center with Mobile County Public Schools, Williamson eventually found himself on an unexpected career path.
It was at the that Williamson heard about the 黑料吃瓜网.
When Williamson began volunteering, he had no plans to change careers, but the work satisfied him in a way that being a mechanic no longer did.
鈥淔rom the first time I volunteered at the Center, I loved it and I spent a lot of time learning as much as I could from the biologist on staff,鈥� Williamson said. 鈥淲hen she told me she planned on retiring soon, I realized this is what I wanted to do with my life and so I went back to school.鈥�
Once Williamson earned his associate degree, he struggled to find a university with a program that fit what he wanted to do.
鈥淥ne day I mentioned the issue I was having to the center director, Dr. Tracy Halpin Jay,鈥� Williamson said.
Jay, a two-time 黑料吃瓜网 alumnus, told him about 黑料吃瓜网.
Just one week after connecting with 黑料吃瓜网, Williamson was discussing his ambitious timeline with an advisor.
A husband, father and full-time mechanic, Williamson said it wasn鈥檛 easy adding college to the mix. Looking back, he said he doesn鈥檛 know how he managed it, often getting by on only four hours of sleep per night.
鈥淚 ended up taking 88 credits in a little over a year,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I have no regrets. Without the at 黑料吃瓜网, I鈥檇 never be where I am today.鈥�
Hired full-time by the Environmental Studies Center in July 2026, Williamson said that before he started at 黑料吃瓜网, he thought he knew a lot.
鈥淚 was humbled really quick when I realized how little I knew,鈥� he said, laughing. 鈥淓verything from learning about different viruses to all the math classes I had to take laid the foundation for everything I now use on a day-to-day basis. Now I鈥檓 just building on it.鈥�
One of Williamson鈥檚 favorite parts of his new career is when an animal completes the rehabilitation process and successfully returns to the wild.
鈥淎ll the long hours and the hard days are worth it when you see that bird fly off or another animal run off and you know you gave it the best chance at life,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing like it.鈥�
For Williamson, the work is rewarding, but he said there aren鈥檛 enough people trained in wildlife rehabilitation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e down to five rehabbers in the state of Alabama,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is definitely an undervalued role in our society, and we need to push the importance of this work to anyone that will listen.鈥�
One way he鈥檚 doing that is by educating young people about environmental science.
鈥淲e have a large amount of school groups who come to the Center, and I enjoy sharing what we do here, and answer any questions they might have about how to get into this field. I鈥檒l help anybody out that鈥檚 interested,鈥� Williamson said.
The Center also must have a college student working or interning there who is studying environmental science鈥� whether that鈥檚 marine biology, zoology, or even biology, Williamson noted.
鈥淧art of my job is to teach them and share every bit of knowledge I can. I want others to understand the importance of what we do here and why it matters.鈥�