Tag: Heritage

Dr. Carolyn Ward, Chief Executive Officer of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, was recently honored with the William C. Everhart Award by the Clemson University Institute for Parks in recognition of sustained achievements that provide creative insights and that foster an appreciation of our natural and cultural heritage.

The institute presents the annual awards program, which is named for George B. Hartzog Jr., the seventh director of the National Park Service, to showcase leading figures in the field of conservation. The awards are named for visionary leaders who make significant contributions to the management of parks and preservation of our natural, historical, and cultural heritage.

Dr. Ward received the William C. Everhart Award because of her longstanding commitment to connecting people to our country’s natural and cultural places and resources, and her contributions to the field of interpretation.

Bob Powell, director of the Institute for Parks, presented the award to Dr. Ward at a ceremony on October 22. According to Dr. Powell, Ward’s passionate leadership in the interpretation field has been instrumental in ensuring the field is evidence-based and moving forward.

“For many years, the philosophies and principles underlying the profession of interpretation have largely been followed based on faith and were largely untested,” he says. “She is a longstanding champion for the importance of research in informing the interpretation field as it evolves to meet the needs of the 21^st century public.”

Dr. Ward’s distinguished career has spanned three decades, from field interpreter at Hungry Mother State Park to CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the primary philanthropic partner to the Blue Ridge Parkway. With more visitors than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon combined, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most visited units of the National Park Service. Under Ward’s leadership, the foundation has provided over $14 million to support programs and projects that continue to help preserve and protect the parkway.

Dr. Ward was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Southwestern Virginia, graduated from Emory and Henry College, and received her master’s degree and PhD from Virginia Tech in Forestry. She is a decorated professor and award-winning researcher and author whose life’s work has been dedicated to building bridges and making connections. While working at Humboldt State University, Ward grew a modern and comprehensive interpretive program and conducted field research across the country. In 2009, she launched the ‘Kids in Parks’ program in partnership with the Blue Ridge Parkway and Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, which unites National Park Service, state parks, community groups, the Eastern Band of Cherokee, and nonprofit organizations around the goal of getting more kids moving outdoors and connected to public lands. The Kids in Parks program now features 200 trails in 12 states and has facilitated over one million adventures for kids and families.

“Dr. Ward’s sustained leadership, grit and determination has left a lasting legacy across the US and the World and has positively influenced countless agencies, managers, interpreters, as well as the general public,” continues Dr. Powell. “Carolyn is an important and powerful role model that has blazed a trail of success in a field that has been traditionally male dominated. I cannot think of a more deserving recipient for this award.”

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The Clemson University Institute for Parks (CUIP) provides research, education, training, and outreach that enhances the management of the world’s parks and protected areas. It accomplishes this by providing park and protected area managers with innovative research to support science-based decision-making; and by developing current and future leaders in the park movement by providing interdisciplinary and transformative education and training programs. The Institute currently consists of 35 Fellows and 8 Scholars working on park-related research.

Visit the CUIP website for more information about the George B. Hartzog, Jr. Environmental Awards program and its recipients.

Clemson’s first-ever study abroad trip to Cuba demonstrates the importance of tourism to the country’s economy and culture

Last month, a group of students led by Clemson University Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) faculty member Dr. Lauren Duffy and the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the Gantt Multicultural Center, Dr. Kendra Stewart-Tillman, took part in Clemson’s first-ever study abroad program in Cuba.

The program studied the intersections of tourism and society, from the historic to the modern, and applied a critical lens to how the travel and tourism industry interfaced with social structures and norms that influence daily life for many Cubans, such as race, gender, class, and sexual orientation.

Lauren feels this study abroad program was particularly timely, as it allowed students to see first-hand the impact tourism can have on a society. “In Cuba, tourism is an important industry sector, and the country is largely dependent on revenue from inbound travelers,” she says.

The visit came during a period of instability between Cuba and the U.S., with political issues including increased travel restrictions and a drawback from a once thawing relationship. Lauren says that these challenges, combined with political unrest in allying countries, has resulted in an economic downturn in Cuba, with food shortages in key household items, such as meat, eggs, and flour. “Being in Cuba during these events gave students valuable insight into both the impact tourism can have on a country’s economy, infrastructure, quality of life, and culture, as well as how intertwined Cuba-U.S. relations have been historically,” she says. “It also allowed students to critically challenge popular narratives regarding this relationship.”

Before they left for the trip, students studied the history of travel and tourism in Cuba, and socio-political considerations. This ensured students had the background they needed to be able to assess the current state of tourism, while also considering how it has been shaped by a history of colonialism, slavery, racism, and gender ideology.

“Understanding a country’s past and how it impacts its present and future state helps students apply a different lens to their travel experience,” Lauren continues. “When you understand a country’s history and heritage, you are better equipped to understand how key tourism topics such as conservation, preservation, and economic impact cannot be addressed with one-size-fits-all solutions.”

While in Cuba, the students experienced the country’s rich Afro-Cuban heritage, with visits to colonial, pre-Revolution, and post-Revolution interpretative sites. Discussions with guest speakers through the Center for José Martí Studies helped students unpack the complexities of living in a socialist country with an evolving mixed-economy that is largely spurred by growth of private sector enterprises within tourism – a change that has allowed for a classist society to re-emerge within Havana.

The program was developed through a partnership between the Gantt Multicultural Center and PRTM, with scholarship support being provided by the Gantt Center to increase underrepresented student participation in study abroad programs.

“We were able to support several students as the inaugural cohort of Gantt Study Abroad Fellows, which provided funding assistance for underrepresented student populations that do not typically study abroad at high rates,” said Stewart-Tillman. “This was the first time Clemson sponsored a trip to Cuba and we hope this becomes a regular opportunity for our students in the future.”