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Photos courtesy of NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development |
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Graduates of the MS-ST Program |
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Shannon Arnold- Spring 2011
Agritourism and Political/Legislative Process
Shannon received her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations and International Hospitality Management in 2008 from East Carolina University, and her Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism degree in 2011. Her professional interests guided her to a position at the NC Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development after graduating in 2008. It was in this position at the Division that she realized the importance of good communication between legislators and tourism businesses. Her research at the Center focused on the field of legislative perceptions of sustainable tourism and the impact these perceptions may have on past and future state policies. She conducted research in the field of agritourism; looking into liability issues for farm operators and patrons.
Thesis:
Currently:
ADDL Administrative Coordinator at Affordable Care, Inc. |
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Stefanie Benjamin- Spring 2011
"Green" Promotion and Marketing; Equity Issues
Stefanie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism with a specialty in Hospitality and Event Planning from the University of Florida in 2006. From 2007-2009 she worked as a special events coordinator for Burberry in New York City. During her time in the Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism program she directed her research efforts to loss of sense of place/authenticity of a destination and film/television induced tourism. Stefanie worked on various projects including retrofitting rental properties on the Outer Banks to become more sustainable and tourist behavior surveys regarding recycling while on vacation. Her passion lies with maintaining high quality natural environments and communities for future generations and feels that educating current travelers about how to reduce their carbon footprint and become responsible travelers is key.
Thesis:
Currently:
Pursuing a PhD in Hospitality Management
at the University of South Carolina
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Whitney Knollenberg- Summer 2011
Community Sense of Place; Tourism and Second Home Impacts
A proud Michigander, Whitney received her degree in 2009 from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Resources concentrating on Commercial Recreation and Tourism with a minor in Environmental Studies. Her work at the Center included the development of a resource database for Federal and State Agencies, tourism businesses, and non-profit organizations that are doing work in sustainable tourism. Whitney has a wide variety of interests in tourism, including agritourism, rural tourism, economic development, residents' perceptions of tourism and the incorporation of sustainable practices in the hospitality sector.
Thesis:
"Stakeholders' Attitudes Towards Sustainable Tourism Development in Coastal Communities"
Currently:
Pursuing a PhD in Hospitality and Tourism Management
at Virginia Tech University
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Michaelina Antahades- Summer 2011
Ecotourism, Sustainable Food Systems, RESET Initiative
Michaelina graduated in 2008 from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. Her multidisciplinary studies minor combined classes from the curriculums of Urban and Regional Planning, Sociology, and Political Science which led her to stay in Pirate Country to pursue a double master degree in Public Administration (Spring 2010) and Sustainable Tourism (Spring 2011). She interned with the City of Greenville's Urban Development Division, Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as Uptown Greenville, a non-profit that promotes economic development and quality of life projects in the redeveloping Uptown district of Greenville. As a graduate assistant for the Center for Sustainable Tourism, she contributed research towards mapping natural assets of Eastern NC, studying sustainable food systems and linking their relation to tourism, examining pictorial representations of race and gender images in state travel guide magazines, and the categorization of variables which influence an entrepreneurial climate. Michaelina was the first non-thesis option master student who successfully completed her final computation exam which entailed a two part oral focusing on both macro and micro level understandings of sustainable tourism.
Capstone Project:
Currently:
Traveling and seeking employment in Charlotte, NC's tourism industry
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Garrett Ziegler- Spring 2012
Renewable Energy in Tourism Initiative Webinars
Garrett received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, with a specialization in Ecology in 2006 from Penn State University in his home state. After working with a salt marsh restoration project in New York City, he followed his dream of living in the wild west by moving to Jackson Hole, WY in December 2006. When not enjoying the mountains, Garrett worked for a small boutique hotel in the Jackson area. Through his interactions with guests and with the community he realized how lucky he was to live in such a beautiful natural place, and gained a passion for helping to preserve natural places for future generations. It was this passion that led him back to graduate school and into the Master Science in Sustainable Tourism program. At the Center Garrett is worked on a webinar series focusing on renewable energy use in tourism. These webinars are used as an educational tool for tourism business owners and operators, helping them to make smarter more sustainable business decisions.
Capstone Project:
Currently:
Traveling and seeking employment in the ski industry
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Whit Winslow- Summer 2012
Outdoor Associations, Sustainable Practices
Whit was born and raised right here in Eastern North Carolina, enjoying everything the area has to offer. As the son of a farmer and a teacher, a respect and curiosity for the environment was unavoidable. Upon completion of a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at Elon University, Whit moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, working directly within the tourism industry selling and renting kayaks, canoes, and bicycles to people touring from all over the world. Upon the the realization that cold weather was not for him, Whit moved back to the Greenville area to pursue an MBA from ECU. After a chance meeting with the staff of the Center for Sustainable Tourism, he immediately knew the direction he would take his degree. Whit decided to enroll in a dual degree program, pursuing both an MBA and a Master of Science in Sustainable Tourism degree, while working as a graduate assistant at the Center.
Thesis:
Currently:
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Alison Murray- Summer 2012
Visitor Profile Data Project, Race, Ethnicity, and Tourism Initiative, Durham CVB Sustainability
Alison is a very proud native of Durham, North Carolina. She spent summers at various outdoor recreation camps and winter vacations skiing in Montreal, Canada. Alison grew up traveling to Spain, Puerto Rico, Canada, and many different states in the US. She received her Bachelor of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management with a focus on Tourism and Commercial Recreation from NC State University. After a summer study abroad program in Ghana and a trip to the TIES Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference she knew sustainable tourism was the right path for her. Alison has a passion for the local, microbrewery, and culinary tourism movements and is applying all three to her thesis at ECU. As a graduate assistant at the Center, Alison worked on a sustainability certification for the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, the RESET initiative, and a Visitor Study Pilot Program with six counties in North Carolina.
Thesis:
Currently:
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