Educator Spotlight: Dr. Joel McCormick

 

Dr. Joel McCormick, Associate Professor of Recreation at Chowan University in Murfreesboro recently completed his NC Environmental Education Certification. When Dr. McCormick isn’t teaching, he and his family enjoy being in nature. “We enjoy visiting National Parks, State Parks, and other natural areas to camp, explore, and spend time on the water boating, fishing and snorkeling.”

When asked about his favorite part of the certification experience, Dr. McCormick says he enjoyed many of the experiences, especially the ones that got him out in nature. “I enjoyed visiting the different regions of the state and taking in the diversity of North Carolina's natural areas. My son went with me to the training at Grandfather Mountain three years ago and he is still talking about the great time he had there. We also camped out at The Great Smoky Mountains National Park while attending the NC Division of Air Quality's Ground Level Ozone workshop. This training was great! I took my family with me, and the wildlife was amazing - especially the elk who visited our camp site.”

For his community partnership project, he worked with the planners of the Bertie County Government on their “Tall Glass of Water” (TGOW) Project. “I was able to help with the planning of future recreational and environmental educational programming with a 147-acre site at the mouth of the Chowan River. The TGOW Project will promote sustainable ecotourism, outdoor recreation, and environmental education for many in Eastern North Carolina.”

Dr. McCormick says the program changed his approach to teaching. “The Environmental Education Certification program has expanded my network of natural resource professionals and professional organizations. I have been able to use some of the programming I learned in my classes, and I have been able to have some of my new contacts conduct educational programs at Chowan University. It has been a great benefit for myself, my students, and my community.”