Ranger Nathan Shull

Nathan Shull is a park ranger at Cheraw State Park who grew up in West Columbia, South Carolina. He graduated with an Associate Degree in Natural Resource Management from Central Carolina Technical College. Ranger Shull grew up visiting Aiken and Lake Wateree state parks and the Battle of Musgrove Mill State Historic Site. His love for the outdoors, fishing and camping prompted his response to the question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” to always be “a park ranger.” There are two things that really made him start pursuing a career in parks, one was the friendliness and helpfulness of rangers he met while visiting Aiken State Park and the other was watching rangers work while on school field trip at Edisto Beach State Park. “I enjoy our state parks so much that I want to ensure others can have the same opportunities and experiences that what I was able to have,” Ranger Shull said.

Ranger Shull had his mind set on preparing to be a ranger early in his life. He took carpentry in high school, as well as, worked a part time maintenance job doing plumbing, painting and electrical work in rental homes. The summer between his first and second year of college, he gained an internship with Sesquicentennial and Goodale state parks. While working as an Assistant Ranger, he knew that being a park ranger was what he wanted to do. He continued to work at Sesquicentennial and Goodale state parks while he finished school and after graduating he received a Park Technician position at Sesquicentennial State Park. A few months after that, he applied for and received his current position as a ranger with Cheraw State Park.

The most satisfying thing about his job, Ranger Shull said is, “being able to see your hard work pay off for a visitor while they enjoy the park. If it’s kids playing soccer in a field you just cut or watching a family enjoy a community building you helped them book, that makes my job worthwhile.” Ranger Shull recounts the time he and a fellow ranger at Goodale State Park had to save a female mallard duck that was stuck in the chimney while giving a tour of the community building to park guests. “They began yelling, ‘Oh the poor duck! Save it! Save it!’ and while we were grabbing the duck to rescue it from the chimney the ladies just continued gasping and screeching about saving the duck that thankfully, had no major injuries.”

When we asked Ranger Shull of the various parks he has worked, which did he find the most fun and why? He said, “So far Goodale State Park has been the most enjoyable because I think it is one of the prettiest parks and many shifts I worked alone and I loved the independence of that.  I also loved being able to do trail maintenance from a kayak! You can’t beat getting paid to go kayaking!” Overall, Ranger Shull believes being a ranger is an extremely rewarding job and couldn’t see himself doing anything else! Thank you Ranger Shull for helping make the South Carolina state parks the best that they can be!