PLSO The Oregon Surveyor March April 2021

Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org 9 Member Spotlight involve helping people plan out their land and what they're going to do with it and working with local jurisdictions. Today, that daughter who was in kinder- garten when their mom started college is turning 20, and the other 17-year-old has graduated high school already—a semester early. The younger daughter, Niya, isn't sure what her future holds, but she has helped her mom out quite a bit in the field already. Part of that ap - peal to her is the flexibility and being able to go out on her own time as opposed to punching the clock at a fast food job. Because McBride works from home, her daughter gets to see the perks of work- ing for yourself. Figuring out how to get a younger gener- ation hooked is part of the challenge the overall industry is facing. McBride says that being in Klamath Falls is a little isolat- ing due to the distance from other active surveying communities and many of the events, but she still appreciates and val- ues her membership in PLSO. “I like the events and the networking," she says, at least, in non-pandemic years. "I get to visit with people I went to school with and get my continuing education credits. It's nice getting to know people and one of the biggest ways I've met peo- ple is through the conferences.” At OIT, McBride facilitates a surveying lab each fall and helps out with the Intro to Surveying class. She has also helped out with events in local schools, such as career fairs, to encourage a new gener- ation of surveyors. “If people don't even know what survey- ing is, how would they ever know that they want to go into surveying?" McBride questions. "Little kids want to grow up to be doctors or policemen or whatever, because they see it.” To her, giving back to the local community and encouraging an interest in survey- ing is an important piece of her career. “The world can't live without surveyors,” she says. x Hanks Marsh, Klamath Falls, from about 1,000 feet above. Michelle McBride's daughter, Niya, helping her in the field. Oldest Monument to date: 1916. Reaching a monument 34 inches below asphalt.