For some, escaping into nature is a way to get some time away from others.

But for those in the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics' environmental studies concentration’s informal environmental education track, the goal is to bring others into nature.

The informal environmental education track prepares students to educate the public on environmental issues. Students learn how to help public audiences understand how natural systems work and why they matter.

It is one of a few programs in the country that offer this type of education. That’s why senior Kennedy Krohn, from Temecula, California, came to TU from Loyola University Chicago. Krohn was looking for a major that matched her passions for science, the outdoors and being around people.

TU's informal environmental education track was perfect. That became clear to Krohn after an internship at the National Aquarium, where she taught sixth graders about the world of water.

“I was working with these kids, and there is just immediate joy and energy you get from teaching these kids and interacting with them,” Krohn says. “And I thought to myself, ‘How could I not want this joy in my career?’”

Zoe Huff and Kennedy Krohn sit together in hammocks in the Outdoor Adventures Office in Campus Recreation

Preparing for a career 

The track was developed to help students prepare for positions as park naturalists and educators working in federal, state and local parks and as educators in the private sector.

Zoe Huff ’21 is an excellent example. Huff is the assistant director of outdoor adventures in TU’s Campus Recreation Department.

Thanks to Huff and her staff, the Outdoor Adventures program gives students opportunities to explore nature. Huff has led trips involving whitewater kayaking, mountain climbing and camping, as well as traveling to national parks across the country.

Huff jokes that she wasn’t an outdoorsy person growing up. When she came to TU as a student, she started working as a trip leader in the Outdoor Adventures program.

Working there was the catalyst for not only growing her love of the outdoors but also helping her find the informal environmental education track.

“I struggled to find my major when I first got to TU,” Huff says. “[I thought,] ‘I really like what I’m doing with outdoor trips and I like educating people.’ And then my adviser recommended the informal environmental education route, and I was like, ‘This makes the most sense for me.’

It made so much sense, Huff returned to TU to earn her master's degree in environmental science in 2023. 

Kennedy Krohn and Zoe Huff pose for a picture in some plant life
Huff and Krohn teach a kayaking class in the pool at Towson University's Burdick Hall.

Finding opportunity and mentorship 

Coming from California, Krohn was worried about starting over in a school on the other side of the country.

But as she got more involved in the informal environmental education track—and worked in Outdoor Adventures—she found the community she’d always looked for during her college career.

“I found at TU, everyone finds their place on campus,” Krohn says. “The Outdoor Adventure program has been that somewhere I can go that feels comfortable, that wants to see me be better. That’s helped me find my place on campus.”

My classes are collecting this important but fun information that I then get to share with other people.

Kennedy Krohn '26

Now, as they work together, Krohn likes to point out how similar her and Huff’s career paths are.

Like Huff before her, Krohn is now an outdoor trip leader. And her experience in Outdoor Adventures is helping her see that the informal environmental education is the right career path for her.

Through the education she’s receiving, Krohn helps fellow students understand foundational environmental science while giving them a unique and engaging outdoor experience.

“I like to say it’s the best major if you love sharing fun facts,” Krohn jokes. “But that’s what it is. My classes are collecting this important but fun information that I then get to share with other people.”  

For Huff, one of her favorite aspects of her job is hiring and working with students like Krohn.

The TU alum is passionate about building a community for her students to help them grow, which she sees as the core purpose of her work.

She is also committed to ongoing mentorship, helping students like Krohn navigate career pathways in the outdoor field by sharing job leads and validating diverse professional routes.

“This means everything to me, and I support them where I can,” Huff says. “I’ll send them a cool job, and tell them, ‘You can go elsewhere and come back or go elsewhere and never come back. But wherever you go, I want to support your growth and journey.’”