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 C
reek 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. 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.
2010-2011 Cohort:
Lora Rasmussen - Lora loves hiking, paddling and exploring new areas. She's been a teacher in many settings; the traditional classroom, outdoor and interpretive guide on wilderness rivers. Her main interests in biology are plants and reptiles.
Kristi Reynolds - BA Psychology with a minor in Ecology, UC San Diego;AS Veterinary Technology, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento. Kristi started her experiences with the natural world while growing up in the National Park Service. She looks forward to returning to the National Park Service after graduating and creating more wonderful experiences with the natural world and with visitors. When not studying Kristi enjoys spending time with her two boys, reading, hiking and doing crafts.
John Duwe- B.A. in Geology at the Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After graduation he spent time in the Bolivian Altiplano as a Peace Corps volunteer facilitating soil conservation and environmental education projects. Since, he has worked as a National Park Ranger at Grand Teton and Crater Lake. These experiences all revolve around a deep connection to the natural environment. John is attending SOU to learn to effectively share this connection with children, inspiring them to enjoy and protect the earth.
Jenny Mensch - A.S. in Biology, College of Lake County, B.S. in Conservation and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
"The Judicious Jubilant Jay,
Who did up her Back Hair every morning with a Wreath of Roses,
Three feathers and a Gold Pin"
-Edward Lear
Josh Hodorff - Northern Arizona University. Look Underneath rocks, Reveal Possibilities, Never Expected. Josh enjoys teaching and taking advantage of any opportunity to go outside
Lucy Whitridge - B.A. Environmental Studies, University of California Santa Cruz. Lucy is inspired by plants, from the biodiversity of Oregon native flora, to ethnobotanical uses and agroecological systems. She hopes to expand her knowledge of ornithology and attempts to learn all the birds in this region. She is passionate about sharing the wonders of nature with others.
Jess Kelleher - B.S. Business in Agriculture, California Polytechnic University Pomona. When Jess isn't running through the forest, you can find her snuggling with her cat and bunny. She is a gardening goddess and a master at identifying plants. Some call her Mama Alder. Jess's passion is to challenge children to think outside the box and outside the classroom.
Marcus Lorusso - B.S. in Environmental Science, University of Massachusetts Amberst. Marcus has a background in sustainable agriculture and Botany. He is excited to be studying at SOU with the amazing biodiversity of Southern Oregon as his laboratory. His mission is to help people improve their relationships with plants and the natural world.
Jeanine Moy - Cornell University '07 Applied Ecology.Originally from New York State, and most recently Colorado, Jeanine loves to travel and explore. Often she thinks about ecology, mycology, gastronomy, and axiology...but she spends most of her free time rock climbing. With experience in both ecological research and outdoor education, she is now passionate about creating a nature education program and one day managing her own business.
Sarah "Smitty" Smith - B.A. Environmental Studies with a minor in Language Studies, University of California Santa Cruz. Smitty skips steadily to the beat of her own drum. She is an absolute maniac about manzanitas and becomes unglued at the sight of a gooseneck barnacle. You may often encounter her bursting out Spanish exclamations or singing a tune to herself. She is a recovering Ornithophope who stalks her prey with binoculars around her neck. She is passionate about bilingual environmental education and hopes to someday open up her own outdoor school for English language learners.
Matt Luoto - B.S. in Media Studies, Southern Oregon University. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Matt is currently the only native Oregonian participating in the EE program at SOU. After finishing his undergraduate studies he moved to Venice Beach, CA where he worked in entertainment and media. His interests include surfing, snowboarding, and discovering new places to explore in the outdoors.
Jinge Sun - M.S. in Environmental Science, Nanjing Normal University, China. Jinge grew up in a small city on the east coast of China. She loves traveling, but had not traveled overseas until she joined the EE program. She enjoysm learning about different cultures, and is eager to share with people the changes they can make to preserve and restore the invaluable ecosystems.
Lindsay Abercrombie - B.S. in Animal Science, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Lindsay spent eight months working and traveling in South African after her graduation. She has a passion for animals and wildlife on both a domestic and international level.
2011-2012 Cohort:
Katie Bradley - Katie is a graduate assistant in the Biology department, teaching general biology labs. She received her Bachelor's of Science degree, cum laude, in Environmental Science from Messiah College in Pennsylvania. She came to southern Oregon from an environmental educator position at the Alice Ferguson Foundation, a non-profit providing environmental/agricultural education in the Washington, D.C area. Work experiences include the Alaskan Center forthe Environment and the Maryland Park Service in the field of outdoor education. She enjoys rock climbing and hiking, and hopes to inspire in others the same sense of wonder and appreciation she frequently experiences in nature.
Ryan King - Ryan makes the transcontinental trek to the Pacific Northwest from his hometown of Glastonbury, Connecticut. A graduate from Oberlin College with a background in Biology and Environmental Studies, Ryan is pursuing a secondary teaching licensure and is a graduate assistant in the SEEC office. Ryan has previously worked at an alternative high school in Cottage Grove and has taught overseas in the Fijian Islands. Ryan’s career pursuits include place-based and project-based education, sustainable design, and experiential learning. A hydrophilic with an adrenaline appetite, Ryan seeks thrill by running long distances, combating hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, jamming on the guitar, beekeeping, and using plastic boards to surf and snowboard.
Kiersa Benson - Kiersa has a bachelor's degree in biology and environmental studies from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. In addition to the EE Masters degree, she is working towards a teaching licensure for middle/high biology. She spent the last few years exploring canyon country in Moab, Utah and teaching field trips as a National Park Ranger. In her spare time she enjoys reading mystery novels and knitting silly critters.
Shauna Oster - Shauna is currently a SEEC graduate assistant and is also working toward a secondary biology teaching licensure. She has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Portland State University. Some of her favorite work experiences include leading fisheries survey field trips as a member of the Americorps Watershed Stewards Project and her adventures on the road as a traveling science educator for OMSI. In between helping kids in the community with their science fair projects and guiding nature hikes, Shauna enjoys kayaking, painting, scuba diving, and roller-skating.
Jessica Collins - Jessica is currently working on her masters in Environmental Education and a certificate of non-profit management. She has a bachelor’s degree in German from Carthage College. She spent several years working for an environmental education center in the Chicagoland area. She was involved in the book and school supply rescue efforts as well as community education. Most recently, she worked in marketing for an electrical contractor that spent the majority of its efforts building wind farms. In her free time, Jessica enjoys endurance running, traveling both domestically and internationally, yoga, cooking, and playing with her dog Max.
Teresa “Bird” Wicks - Bird currently works as a graduate assistant in the SEEC office, coordinating the educational kits. She has her B.S. from Oregon State University in Natural Resources and a minor in Wildlife Conservation. Bird volunteered at Wildlife Images Rehabilitation Center for six years, banded birds for the Institute for Bird Populations in Orange County, CA and served as Environmental Educator for at-risk youth through AmeriCorps and The Job Council. Bird has a habit of rescuing animals, currently enjoying time with a horse, Huka, and a dog, Freyja. She enjoys hiking, camping, birdwatching, sewing, research and teaching people about nature.
Stacey Perry - Stacey has a degree in Studio Art with a minor in Environmental Studies from Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. She is pursuing an elementary/middle level teaching licensure and is passionate about creating empowering learning experiences for children both in the classroom and outdoors. For the past four years, Stacey taught soil science to sixth-graders through the Multnomah Education Service District’s Outdoor School program in Portland, OR. She enjoys spending time in and around Oregon’s beautiful rivers, lakes, and streams.
Katie MacDiarmid - Katie received her BS in Environmental Science with a minor in Biology from the University of Oregon. After college, she taught outdoor science programs for 5th and 6th graders at Outdoor School and at Whiskeytown Environmental School. In the summers, she led backpacking, climbing, and rafting trips for teens with Adventure Treks. She also spent a year teaching middle school science for BECA, a bilingual school for low-income students in Honduras, before discovering the Environmental Education program at SOU. In addition to her EE Master’s, Katie is currently pursuing a secondary teaching licensure and working as a graduate assistant in the SEEC office. In her free time, Katie enjoys climbing, running, cooking, reading, and music.
Bethany Osborne-Koch - Bethany has a BS in General Science and Theater with a minor in Biology from the University of Oregon. For the last three years she spent her days falling in love with the rainy, lush forests of Northwestern Oregon as a Field Instructor for the MESD Outdoor School program. While working towards an Elementary/Middle licensure she hopes to strengthen her understanding of our ecosystem to better share her wonder for the outdoors with students. Bethany aspires to spend her time hiking, farming, cooking, and tidepooling - as well as the occasional frolick.
Libby VanWyhe - Libby graduated from U.C. Davis with a degree in Environmental Biology and Management. For the last six years, she has been working in the environmental field in many capacities including: paper pushing, habitat restoration, environmental consulting, WOOFing in Ireland, community organizing, and outdoor education. Since arriving Ashland in 2009, she has loved working among kindred spirits at the North Mountain Park Nature Center. Libby spends her days teaching biology labs for her Graduate Assistantship, working on classroom plans for her teaching license, and trying to blend in with the scientists. She (not-so-secretly) believes in faeries. Shhh... don't blow her cover.
Hannah Kolni - Hannah Kolni is excited to be living on the west coast in the beautiful Rogue Valley. Hailing from Dallas, TX, she dedicated over two years as a City of Dallas employee spreading environmental awareness in her hometown after graduating with her B.S. in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University. Hannah has more than five years experience as a student activist and professional in the environmental field. She has also traveled extensively, most recently journeying around the globe over five months including a sustainable development internship in Thailand. She loves to hike, encourage the spread of social justice, and find ways to make the world a better place through everyday actions and interactions. She hopes to become a local naturalist and skilled educator through the EE program with teaching licensure, connecting young people with the naturalworld in a meaningful way that inspires stewardship and advocacy. In her free time, she paints colorful acrylic works and is working on a travel memoir.
Brennan McGinnis - Brennan spent his college years in a microscopic and molecular fairytale as he studied cell biology at Oregon State University. At the turn of his senior year he realized that, though he loved medicine and physiology, he actually thrived during the two short weeks in which he was guiding youth educational backpacking trips. Through college, and in the years since, he has worked as a contract wilderness outdoor educator and ecological restoration technician. In 2010, Brennan decided that the MS in Environmental Education offered at SOU would be the best way to gain the skills and qualifications necessary for offering wilderness education for young people. While fulfilling the EE requirements, Brennan will also complete coursework towards the Certificate in Non-Profit Management in hopes that he will be able to help restore the Wilderness CharterSchool curriculum at Ashland High School. In the cracks between family, class, and work, he also loves to backpack, hike, slack-line, snowboard, travel, and cook. Personal heroes: G.W. Hayduke and Utah Phillips
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.