Oct 22, 2020
Joel Hartter Director of the Masters of the Environment graduate program at CU Boulder talks about leading the new Outdoor Recreation Economy Program.
Outdoor Recreation Economy: www.colorado.edu/menv
3 Faculty positions (full-time, 10 month) in Outdoor Industry Business & Leadership, Public Lands Policy, and Economic Development: https://www.colorado.edu/menv/2020/09/24/menv-hiring-new-instructors. Close November 1, 2020
Introduction to the Outdoors
I have been in the outdoors pretty much since I can remember. We always heard about what my parents did for their honeymoon and they did the atypical honeymoon. They went backpacking and camping on Isle Royal in Northern Michigan. You don't often hear about that as a honeymoon destination. I have three brothers and because we're a family of six, we didn't fit nicely into one motel room and my parents were didn't want to buy another motel room. So we went camping. We grew up outside of Detroit and my parents always believed that the Canadian side of the upper Huron was prettier. So we grew up camping and going all around Michigan and camping everywhere we could, my parents made it a priority.
Advice
I'll give this generally to students and folks who want to present themselves professionally and move up in their careers. I think there are three great things that were told to me that I think I want to pass on. Cause I think they're really, they're really important.
One- be a global citizen, try to have international experience and international awareness, and understand what people are doing outside of not only your own locality but outside of the US, I think that's really important too.
Two- I wish I would have heard this earlier in my career is understand business or take a business class, understand some business fundamentals, no matter if you're starting a nonprofit or working in the outdoor industry where we all have passion. Understanding how business operates is really, really, really, really significant.
And the Third thing I will say is this, that having a job, moving up, yes, it is about people you know and people in the connections you make, and you have to have skills behind it. I think that the folks that come to our program are so excited and enthusiastic and just want to dig in immediately, but enthusiasm will get your foot in the door, but really have skills and expertise behind that. And I think that it is really important and we try to impart to our students. They may lead with enthusiasm and they have to have something to back it up with.
Outdoor Activities
Trail Running
Favorite Piece of Outdoor Gear
Banner over Trade Show Entrance