Current Graduate Student Listing

Adrian Benedetti | Doctoral Candidate | arb86@psu.edu

M.S. Colorado State University, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
B.S. University of Colorado, Humanities

Research Interests: Visitor Use Protected Areas, Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Use and Management, Tourism and Community Development

Jordan Blair | Doctoral Candidate | jcb31@psu.edu

M.S. Slippery Rock University, Parks and Recreation & Environmental Education
B.S. Clarion University, Biology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Research Interests: Environmental Education, Environmental Impacts of Tourism, Marine Tourism and Outdoor Recreation

Ross Budziszewski | Doctoral Candidate | rmb5593@psu.edu

M.S. Utah State University, Health and Human Movement
B.S. Penn State University, Kinesiology

Research Interests: Positive youth development through sport and out-of-school activities.

Sam Chaar | Doctoral Candidate | hhc102@psu.edu

M.S. Penn State University, Leisure Studies and Hospitality Management
B. S. Hotel Management, ESU

Research Interests: Safety and Security in the Tourism Industry

Heather Costigan | M.S. Candidate | hjc131@psu.edu

B.S. Lock Haven University, Health Science

Research Interests: Nature and Health, Soundscapes, Night Sky Pollution

Erinn Drage | M.S. Candidate | erinn@psu.edu

B.S. Queen's University, Environmental Sciences

Research Interests: Parks and Protected Areas, Public Lands Management, Environmental Education, Indigenous-led Conservation

Stephanie Freeman | Doctoral Candidate | sef262@psu.edu

M.S. Texas Tech University, Wildlife Science
B.S. University of Georgia, Psychology

Research Interests: Human-wildlife interactions, Park and protected area management, human dimensions of natural resources

Milan Green | Doctoral Candidate | mcg308@psu.edu

M.S. Texas A&M University, Animal Science
B.S. Spelman College, Psychology

Research Interests: Understanding the management of zoological institutions to create and support an educational recreation space.

Jahmaad Harrell | M.S. Candidate | jih27@psu.edu

B.S. Mississippi College, Exercise Science

Research Interests: Psychological Responses to Recreational Programs, Community Recreation, Physical Activity Programming

Tammy Koerte | Doctoral Candidate | trk168@psu.edu

M.S. Pennsylvania State University, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management
B.S. Purdue University, Hospitality and Tourism Management

Research Interests: Tourism and Community Development, Youth Development in a Tourism Context

Yun Liang | Doctoral Candidate | yjl5451@psu.edu

M.S. University of Florida, Tourism and Recreation Management

M.S. The Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ecology

B.S. Beijing Forestry University, Forest Conservation and Recreation

Research Interests: Big Data in National Parks and Tourism

Timothy Mateer | M.S. Candidate | tjm715@psu.edu

B.S. State University of New York - Geneseo, Biology

Research Interests: Environmental education, social and emotional learning, experiential learning, social psychology of pro-environmental behavior

Lauren Mullenbach | Doctoral Candidate | lem34@psu.edu

M.S. University of Georgia, Forest Resources
B.S. University of Georgia, Psychology

Research Interests: Urban Parks, Community Health, and Gentrification

Ryan Naylor | M.S. Candidate | rsn16@psu.edu

B.S. Slippery Rock University, Environmental Science

Research Interests: Sustainable Tourism, Community Development, Livelihoods, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources

Jerrica Oliver Peets | Doctoral Candidate | jco16@psu.edu

M.S. University of Miami, Mental Health Counseling
M.S. University of Central Florida, Applied Exercise Physiology
B.A. Howard University, District of Columbia, Psychology

Research Interests: Mental Health, Career Transition for Collegiate Athletes, Specialized Curriculum for Athletes, Academic Achievement through Youth Sport Participation

Maxwell Olsen | Doctoral Candidate | mho10@psu.edu

M.S. Penn State University, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management.
B.A. St. Lawrence University, Sociology & Environmental Studies

Research Interests: Outdoor Recreation Behavior, Human Dimensions of Natural Resource and the Environment

So Young Park | Doctoral Candidate | sup97@psu.edu

M.S. Korea University, Economics
B.S. Korea University, Economics

Research Interests: Web Data Analysis, Big Data in Tourism, Tourist Behavior

Josh Pighetti | Doctoral Candidate | jjp6222@psu.edu

B.S. California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration

Research Interests: Experiential Education and Education in the Snowsports Industry

Sammie Powers | Doctoral Candidate | slp408@psu.edu

M.S. University of New Hampshire, Recreation Management and Policy
B.S. University of New Hampshire, Recreation Management and Policy & International Affairs

Research Interests: Intercultural Sensitivity, Cultural Geography of Leisure, Intercultural Contact Through Leisure, Community Development

Maria Jose Ramirez | Doctoral Candidate | mzr86@psu.edu

M.S. University of Ottawa, Intervention and Consultation in Sport, Physical Activity and Health
B.S. Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Organizational Psychology

Research Interests: Long-term influence of expedition in participants' lives, Experiential Education, Personal Development, Reflection, Youth Development through Sports, Expeditions for Youth Development

Will Rice | Doctoral Candidate | wlr5053@psu.edu

M.S. Penn State University, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management
B. S. Clemson University, Natural Resource Economics and Policy

Research Interests: Demand for recreation in public lands, recreational ecosystem services, spatial analysis of visitor use, and soundscapes.

Vincent Santucci | Doctoral Candidate | parkpaleo@psu.edu

M.S. University of Pittsburgh, Geology & Paleontology
B.S. University of Pittsburgh, Anthropology & Biology

Research Interests: Paleontological Resources Management, Protection, Interpretation & Research

Aubrey Tallon | M.S. Candidate | ant5129@psu.edu

B.S. Penn State University, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management

Research Interests: Equality in access to outdoor education, the influence of folklore and local knowledge on sense of place and conservation mindsets.