Environmental Education
Faculty and Staff
The Environmental Education master’s program is housed within the College of Arts and Sciences. The integrated program draws from many disciplines on campus including the Education, Business, Communications, and Environmental Studies Departments, plus others. However, the majority of faculty associated with the program are housed in the Biology Department.
Dr. Stewart Janes – Dr. Janes has been involved in the Environmental Education program since arriving on the SOU campus in 1992. In addition to his interests in environmental education, he trains secondary teachers pursuing secondary teaching credentials in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. He is an ecologist and ornithologist and researches the function of bird song and raptor ecology.
Linda Hilligoss – Linda Hilligoss is a Science Educator for the College of Arts and Sciences and promotes and coordinates activities at the Crater Lake Science and Learning Center. Part of her time is also devoted to the Environmental Ed Masters program and their involvement at Deer Creek Center. Linda is a graduate of the Environmental Education program in its previous incarnation and a certified middle school teacher. She previously worked in the Education Department as an assistant professor training teachers, with a special interest in promoting science at the elementary level.
Dr. Michael Parker – Dr. Parker is an aquatic ecologist and is actively involved in the Environmental Education program. He has a special interest in conservation of freshwater environments throughout the western United States, and has a particular fondness for stream-dwelling amphibians and desert fishes, particularly the Devil’s Hole pupfish. Dr. Parker teaches the Trends in Environmental Education course.
Dr. Karen Stone – Dr. Stone serves on the Environmental Education Committee and specializes on the population genetics of mid-sized carnivores. Recent projects have involved the Pacific Fisher and Marten.
Dr. Peter Schroeder – Dr. Schroeder, an entomologist, serves on the Environmental Education Committee. Dr. Schroeder studies insect control through integrated pest management and has a special interest in bumblebees. He also studies aquatic insects as indicators of stream quality.
Dr. Carol Ferguson – Dr. Ferguson, an entomologist, has been actively involved in the environmental education program for many years, mentoring many students through their master’s projects. Dr. Ferguson’s research interests include the study of pollination systems in orchids of the Klamath Siskiyou bioregion.
You can learn more about the faculty associated with the EE program and the other seven faculty members in the Department by visiting the Biology webpage.
Current Graduate Students
The following includes some of our current students and a little about them and their projects. To speak with current graduate students, contact the SEEC office at 541/552-6876 or seec@sou.edu.
Matthew Carney - B.S. Business Studies with a minor in Psychology, Southern New Hampshire University
Matthew loves to practice amateur photography: wildlife, landscape, macro, astrophotography, just about anything natural. He aims to build an intimate relationship with the natural world, and feels once that is accomplished he will be in a position to help other people define their relationships with the natural world around them.
Sara Poggi - B.S. Marine and Freshwater Biology, University of New Hampshire.
Sara is originally from Vermont and has since traveled the world, including as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria. She is particularly interested in birds and all things ocean and water related and enjoys sharing her passion for nature with others.
Emily Rupp - B.A. Biology, Goshen College
Emily is from Indiana, but traveled around the country, and eventually the world, working with different environmental education programs. She enjoys a good hike, potluck meals, and sharing her love of nature with others. She is a graduate assistant working in the SEEC office.
Rueben Davis - B.S. Biology, M.A. Teaching, Southern Oregon University
Rueben is a Southern Oregon native, born and raised. He is interested in Ecology and Natural History education and has taught General Biology, Environmental Science, Geology, and Outdoor School/Camps. He loves snowboarding, whitewater rafting, exploring nature, yoga, and spending time with his 11-year-old son.
Chris Rennaker - B.S. in Biology, Ball State Univeristy
Chris wants everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the biodiversity of southern Oregon. He advocates trail restoration and implementation for access to this regions majestic beauty. He is studying Environmental Education at Southern Oregon University to help influence others to appreciate their local environments as well.
Barb Morris - B.S. Nutritional Sciences, Elementary Education University of Arizona
Middle School Specialist Credential, National-Louis University
Barb is an Arizona native and has taught English, Math, and Science to middle schoolers for the last ten years. She has a husband and two adult children and likes to camp, hike, write poetry, and sit on rocks. She is currently a graduate assistant working with Deer Creek Center.
Sarah Finstad – B.S. Ecology and Evolution, B.A. Environmental Studies, UC Santa Barbara
Sarah is excited to share her passion and knowledge of natural systems and environmental issues with the world. She loves scuba diving, hiking, gardening, and taking pictures. She was recently hired to work for the Klamath Network region of the National Park Service developing an educational product on wetlands.
Jenna Kesgen - B.S. Environmental Studies, University of North Carolina- Asheville
Jenna grew up in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. She enjoys traveling, experiencing nature, creating art and having a good laugh. She is currently a new student in the program and working as a Graduate Assistant in the SEEC office.
Aliza Kawecki - BA Environmental Education, Prescott College, Prescott AZ
Aliza has traveled around the country working as an Environmental Educator. She loves plants, kayaking, and making music.
Jan Brotman - B.A., Anthropology,
Jan has trained with a taxidermist in Vancouver to craft her skills in making study skins and mounts. She is currently working on the SOU vertebrate collection in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab and is interested in finding a job using her background in both environmental education and as a museum curator.
Jesse Hersh - B.A., Physical Anthropology,
Jesse is in his final year in the program and is bent on converting our towns and cities into productive food forests. In his free time he enjoys foraging wild foods and mingling with Madrones.
Liz Pusch – B.S., Biology, Southern
Rebecca Slosberg - B.A., Anthropology,
Rebecca has a background in environmental interpretation, working in many national parks throughout the country including the Grand Tetons and Skagway, Alaska. She loves getting outside whenever possible.
Stacey Rochelle Shriner - B.A., Elementary Education/Spanish,
Stacey is interested in practicing environmental education with elementary students. She would also like to work as a liaison between public school cafeterias and organic farms, or become a mountain woman, move to a national park and traipse about the woods educating tourists.
Susan Muller – B.A., Political Science,
Environmental Education Alumni
Graduates of the Environmental Education program have gone on to diverse careers. Some have continued on to become classroom teachers. Others work for various government agencies as environmental educators and field biologists. The following is a sample of the positions currently held by graduates of our program.
Sam Whitridge – Graduated 2009. Coordinator for the Bear Creek Watershed Education Partners (BCWEP) and also working for OSU Extension Jackson County as a Natural Resources Extension Agent.
Melisa Pitkin – Graduated 2006. Education and Outreach Director, Point Reyes Bird Observatory in Santa Rosa, California.
Lindsey Lyons – Graduated 2005. Currently on the faculty of Oregon State University working for the Extension Service and based in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Elizabeth Waserman – Graduated 2002. Interpretive Specialist. Lake Clark National Park, Homer, Alaska.
Noelle Jordan – Graduated 2002. Environmental Education Coordinator at the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Orange, Texas.
Vicki Arthur – Graduated 2001. Conservation Education Specialist. U.S. Forest Service, Washington D.C.
Stacey Gaylord Moore – Graduated 1995. Community Relations Programme Manager for Department of Conservation, New Zealand.
Kari Geis – Graduated 1993. Education Coordinator, North Mountain Park Nature Center, Ashland, Oregon.
