Abigail Fuesler, Graduate Student at Western Carolina, Completes Her NC Environmental Education Certification

Abigail Fuesler recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Abigail is the Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Brevard College, and a graduate student working on her M.S. in Experiential and Outdoor Education at Western Carolina University. Abigail serves on the Pisgah Area SORBA (Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association) Board of Directors and is also certified as a Leave No Trace Level 2 Trainer. In her personal time, she enjoys reading, puzzles, podcasts, road trips, game nights, mountain biking and canoeing. 

Abigail says her favorite part of earning her certification was the site visits. “The wonderful state parks in North Carolina have really innovative visitor centers, and I loved learning from experts about the topics they are passionate about.” She says the teaching component of the certification really stood out for her. “It was time consuming since I don’t have a classroom or a job that involves teaching regularly, but it is at the core of this certification.”

For her community partnership project, Abigail coordinated the 2022 Adventure Education Conference at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly which drew 200 people, mostly college students. The attendees could choose to attend workshops on topics including trail maintenance, AmeriCorps, careers in outdoor fields, spending time in nature to reduce stress and even more niche topics like how to become a camp director or how to through-hike the Pacific Crest Trail. “My hope is that the young people in attendance had an impactful experience that could change how they approach their career in the outdoors.”

Abigail says she takes more time to prepare for teaching after completing the program and she says the program changed the way she views environmental issues. “I see Leave No Trace, sustainability and having an environmental ethic as being inextricably connected to the everyday experiences of my life, like how I walk to work, pack my lunch or shop. I look forward to using the skills and knowledge I learned through the program to encourage others to adopt environmentally minded practices in their day-to-day life."