Campus News

Garrett College's NRWT program turns 50

Unique program evolves with the times to continue serving mission

Garrett College's Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology (NRWT) program is turning 50 – but the program definitely isn't showing its age.

"Our program is vibrant," said Professor Kevin Dodge, NRWT's program director. "It continues to meet the needs of a variety of employers, as evidenced by the different jobs our students are getting."

Dodge said the program's success goes well beyond its official curriculum.

"We've created a culture where new students come into the program and they know they're part of our family," said Dodge. "We connect them with returning students, and a long line of former students who have stayed connected with the College."

Dodge, who joined the Garrett College faculty in 1987, said one of the keys to the program's ongoing success has been a commitment to staying current.

"We're always seeking to respond to the changing needs of our field while adhering to our bedrock principles," said Dodge. He added that those principles center around ensuring students have a solid background in the technical skills required in wildlife and natural resources careers.

"Our students need solid field skills," Dodge said. "An NRWT graduate knows their plants and animals, and they have good geospatial technology skills."

Dodge said the changing profile of students entering the natural resources field has made NRWT's commitment to teaching field skills even more crucial.

"Fifty years ago, a student going to college in this field was typically male, white, and grew up on a farm," said Dodge. "They came into the field with a lot of hands-on, practical skills. Today's students are more diverse, and more come from suburbia, often without significant outdoor experience.

"That's one reason we emphasize the practical, hands-on skills that are so important in the field and less likely to be covered by four-year universities," explained Dodge. "We're training technicians – and they need those field experiences, even if they transfer on to a four-year program."

Dodge said the post-graduate success of Garrett College's NRWT students illustrates the value of the education they receive. Sarah Milbourne, western region manager of the Maryland Park Service; and Greg Short, senior environmental scientist and co-owner of AllStar Ecology, are just two of the NRWT graduates who used the program to launch highly successful careers in the field.

"It's probably one of the most rigorous programs in the nation," said Milbourne. "It's challenging, but it's applicable to what a professional actually does in the field.

"You don't waste time on fluff," added Milbourne. "You do hands-on applications that prepare you for the workforce, or to go on and get a bachelor's or master's degree or even a doctorate."

Short – whose company is a turn-key permitting firm that contracts with private industry as well as state and local government agencies – echoed Milbourne's remarks.

‘I wouldn't be where I am now if not for that program," said Short. "It provided me with the essential tools I needed for this career.

"The great thing about the program is that you're armed with so many tools to do various types of work," Short continued. "You're not pigeon-holed into one career. You get a lot of different aspects of the field and come out with a lot of different skill sets that are attractive in the work force."

Jim Mullan, who studied in the Wildlife Technology Program in 1977-78, eventually returned to teach in the program.

"I felt blessed to share my passion for wildlife with the next generation of biologists and technicians," recalled Mullan. "I am still amazed that I had the opportunity to teach alongside some of my favorite teachers, such as Joan Crawford, Drew Ferrier, Dave Slagle, and Randall Harmon. The Tech Center coordinator, Ed Norman, was a tremendous help in facilitating field trips and hands-on activities."

Mullan credited the low student-to-faculty ratio, the programmatic expansion in the 1990s, and the College's "easy access to outdoor learning opportunities" as keys to the program's enduring success. He also praised Dodge and retired faculty member Peter Skylstad for their leadership in building and maintaining a high-quality curriculum.

"Both are experts in their field and give – or, in Peter's case, gave – 100 percent effort to each student," said the retired Mullan, who now works for CAMO HOPE, a non-profit that makes home repairs for people in need.

Annie Martin, a 2024 Garrett College graduate, is one of the most recent NRWT success stories. Martin shared the 2024 Garrett College commencement award for highest grade-point average (a perfect 4.0). She was subsequently awarded a University System of Maryland Regents scholarship to cover her tuition, fees, meal plan, and board as she pursues a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries at Frostburg State University.

Dodge said the program reached a critical inflection point in the early 1990s, leading to a renewed emphasis on technical skills and a key programmatic expansion.

Dodge and Director of Technical/Career Programs Jim Allen conducted a rigorous review using a model – called Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) – that examined every aspect of the program's curriculum.

"We had employers who were really good partners in that process and made valuable contributions," said Dodge. "Instead of thinking about it academically, we thought about it in terms of what made sense from an employment perspective. We asked natural resources technicians to tell us what actual, everyday tasks and duties they performed – and then found ways to make their input the core of our coursework."

Dodge also emphasized the roles Allen and Ed Norman, an NRWT graduate who worked at the time to support the College's technical programs, played in retaining the practical, technical nature of the program.

"Ed Norman and Jim Allen kept hammering on me about the importance of technical education," recalled Dodge. "They patiently helped me to understand what a technical degree is all about.

"We also realized if we just trained people for wildlife, it would be hard to grow the program," Dodge continued. "We needed to expand what we trained for – and intentionally expanded what we were doing from wildlife technology to include all areas of the natural resources field. Our goal became to train natural resources super-technicians."

In addition to Allen and Norman, Dodge credited Dean of Academic & Student Affairs Emeritus Lillian Mitchell with playing a critical role in supporting NRWT. Mitchell indicated geography and leadership have both important ingredients in the program's success.

"Fifty years ago, the College recognized that its special environment would serve as a perfect outdoor lab to provide this unique technical program that focused on addressing the management of natural resources and wildlife," said Mitchell.

Mitchell said Dodge's commitment to keeping the program academically relevant has also had a great deal to do with its success.

"NRWT has always been recognized for integrating rigorous academic coursework with relevant and interesting field experiences and research," said Mitchell.

Dodge also highlighted the efforts of Skylstad, who served two decades as an NRWT faculty member before retiring in 2021, and Amo Oliverio, an NRWT graduate who took Skylstad's place as an NRWT faculty member.

"There are so many people whose hard work and ongoing support made NRWT's success possible," said Dodge, who also recognized the part-time adjunct instructors – all professionals in the field – who are crucial to the program's success.

"We've always relied on a cadre of really great adjunct instructors to teach in multiple content areas . . . fisheries, water quality, wildlife, forestry," observed Dodge. "We couldn't do it without those people."

Dodge also credited earlier faculty with helping establish the program, including Natural Resources Technology Professor Hugh Trimble and Biology Professor Dr. Drew Ferrier, who is now a professor of biology at Hood College.

"It's been a very resilient program that's changed over time," Ferrier said of the NRWT program. "Garrett's bringing in a good crop of students every year, which is a credit to Kevin's leadership."

Ferrier said he was pleased that the College has kept in place several of the innovations developed in the early days of the program, including regular field trips to Maryland's Eastern Shore and the annual wild game dinner.

"The first wild game dinner started in the late 1970s at Hugh Trimble's house," noted Ferrier, who taught at GC from 1977 to 1985.

Dodge credited Ashley Ruby, currently GC's learning commons and academic success director, with helping train NRWT students to obtain employment. Ruby conducts a seminar on job search skills as part of NRWT's academic program.

"Ashley does a great job with our students," said Dodge. "She teaches them how to develop resumes and cover letters, complete online applications, conduct a job search, how to network and how to interview. Ashley's seminar plays a crucial role in preparing our students to seek employment."

"Kevin asked me several years ago to speak in his Seminar I class about the job search process, including resume development for seasonal positions," said Ruby, who has special training in the job development field. "In the students' final semester, I teach Seminar II, where we talk more deeply about developing a career vision and turning their experiences at Garrett College into a meaningful career. By that time, many students already have a position lined up!"

Ruby said Dodge's emphasis on connecting his students with industry professionals supports the program's educational mission by providing ready-made networking opportunities.

"He brings in a lot of guest speakers, we organize mock interviews, and he has industry professionals who teach courses in the program as well," said Ruby. "Former NRWT students also come back and speak to his classes about the exciting work they are doing. All of this adds value to the program."

Ruby said NRWT students "know and understand what it takes to be successful in their chosen profession basically from Day 1."

"They know how rigorous the program is; they are excited to do the work, and they all take it seriously," added Ruby.

Dodge – who came to Garrett College with a background in university-level research – freely admits he "didn't know what two-year degrees were all about" when he arrived at Garrett.

"It's a learning curve, especially if you're doing a technical program," said Dodge, who remains thankful his journey brought him to the College and this program.

"I couldn't ask for a better job," said Dodge.

Milbourne – who said she is "so proud of the program's continued excellence" – indicated she's always looking to hire Garrett College graduates.

"If they can get through Kevin's program," said Milbourne, "that tells me they're a highly qualified candidate."