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Eppley Institute Receives First Ever National Award
Indiana University’s Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands was given the first ever presented National Park Service “Excellence in Partnership” Award. The Eppley Institute has participated in a collaborative partnership with the National Park Service for the past eleven (11) years providing the federal agency with a wide variety of research, training and education and technical assistance projects and programs. In recognition of this successful long term partnership, the National Park Service presented the Excellence in Partnership to the Eppley Institute Executive Director Steve Wolter at the Department of Interior Auditorium in a short ceremony attended by approximately a 100 people. Robert M. Goodman, Dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation acknowledged that “the Eppley Institute has just celebrated its 15th year of operations, and, as the Excellence in Partnership Award demonstrates, the Institute has continuously advanced its standards of distinction.”
In presenting this award, National Park Service Director Dan Wenk recognized the Eppley Institute for Parks & Public Lands for its many contributions to National Park Service programs and disciplines that have gained from the many joint efforts of the Eppley Institute and Service personnel. This broad spectrum of programs includes:
- Park Facility Management (Asset Management Program implementation, Facility Management Software System deployment as well as the Facility Manager Leaders Program)
- Training and Development (‘Fundamentals’ New Employee Introduction and Orientation Program, Universal Competencies, Training Needs Analysis, Leadership Academy, Mid Level Management Development Program, NPS New Superintendent’s Academy)
- Resource Stewardship and Protection (Course of study, Resource Protection and the Law courses, Interdisciplinary Team Resource Protection Planning
- Interpretation Development Program (Distance education training platform, Credentialing program, Coaching Network, E-course training
- Structural Fire Program (E-courses)
- Administration/Budget (E-courses)
- Concessions Management (Asset management e-courses)
- Business Feasibility Plan for NPS Training Centers
- Development of NPS Distributed Education Program (Technology Enhanced Learning)
- Deployment of Learning Management Systems
- Evaluation and Return on Investment Analysis
- Instructor/Trainer Training Program
“The partnership has provided excellent education and training opportunities for literally thousands of National Park Service employees; advanced knowledge in the park, recreation and public lands field for publication and research, and has allowed Indiana University to build a large distributed education and training programs for the public, volunteers and National Park Service concessionaires”, said Steve Wolter, Executive Director of the Eppley Institute since 2000 and Assistant Director since 1997. “To be honored for our commitment to helping employees and the public understand, appreciate and be able to manage the natural, cultural, recreational and constructed resources that are part of the National Park Service is a truly an honor.”
The Eppley Institute for Parks & Public Lands is quietly celebrating the completion of its 15th year of operation in 2008 having been awarded over $8.5 million in grants, contracts and financial assistance from federal, state and local agencies since 1998. Eppley Institute’s first Director and former National Park Service Director Jim Ridenour indicated “we never envisioned that the Eppley Institute would be as successful and have as significant impact as it does nationally. It is the one institute that almost every college or university with a recreation, resource management, or parks management degree program is trying to emulate”.
The Institute currently has 11 faculty, 2 professional staff, and 2 support staff along with associate faculty, graduate assistants and hourly staff including 1 faculty each stationed at Albright Training Center in Grand Canyon, AZ, and at Mather Training Center, Harpers Ferry, WV. And according to a National Park Service employee stationed at Indiana University Bloomington to work with the Eppley Institute, “this award is very impressive! The National Park Service does not present awards frequently or lightly, therefore such an award reflects how deeply the National Park Service values this partnership. The Eppley team should be very proud”, said Katie Bliss, Interpretive Park Ranger from Everglades National Park.
The Eppley Institute is part of the Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies Department which has been provided degrees and formal education for the profession since 1946 along with a commitment to technical assistance, research and service through service arms like the Eppley Institute for Parks & Public Lands. While the Eppley Institute has been highly involved with National Park Service partnership efforts, it has also partnered with state and federal agencies including the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (Lake Michigan recreation access studies), and many municipalities as far away as Anchorage, AK, and as close as Bloomington, IN, including many smaller Indiana communities. The Eppley Institute training site contains some of the courses developed by Institute faculty and staff.
For more information, contact:
Stephen A. Wolter, Executive Director
812.855.7083
sawolter@indiana.edu
www.eppley.org
www.eppleyinstitute.org
