College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Community Sustainability

Brett arrived to the Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management program after a lengthy discovery of personal and professional development. After earning a culinary arts degree, farming, and getting his feet wet in several academic ventures, he found his true calling in a program which intersects the Natural Sciences and the Tourism industry. He earned his Bachelor's of Science in Geotourism from Eastern Michigan University (just one of two institutions in the US offering this unique program) in 2015. After an extensive search across the country for ideal graduate program, it turned out that the perfect complement to his degree was right in his "backyard" at MSU. 

 

Working with Dr. Charles Nelson, Brett intends on engaging with the community to gather insight and feedback on park development in Michigan. As a resource-rich state, it is important that these resources are carefully considered and balanced with the public's desire to have experiences within these locales. Additionally, municipalities and park developers need the tools and insight of the public in conjunction with the planner's analysis to make thoughtful, holistic decisions in development, improvement, and preservation in or near natural or ecologically sensitive sites.