|
|
|
|
|
IU's Eppley Institute director, programs honored by National Park Service
April 16, 2001
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands in Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and the institute's director, James Ridenour, have been honored by the National Park Service.
The park service presented this year's Crystal Owl Award, the highest NPS honor for training and development excellence, to both Ridenour, a former director of the National Park Service, and the institute. NPS officials said this is the first time the honor has been presented to an individual or group outside of the federal agency.
Under Ridenour's leadership, the institute has presented training and development programs for thousands of National Park Service personnel over the past six years in such areas as administration and office management support; training needs assessments; supervision, management and leadership; technology-enhanced learning and universal competencies.
In addition to hosting park service personnel at training programs in Bloomington, the institute has developed plans for a National Park Service Leadership Academy, created computer-based courses for more than 2,000 NPS personnel, developed the basis for an overall administrative core curriculum, and helped the park service expand its distance learning initiative.
The Eppley Institute was created in 1993 to encourage quality recreation and educational experiences for people while providing for the protection of the natural and cultural resources of this country. More information about the institute is available at its Web site at http://www.indiana.edu/~eppley/
(Richard Doty, 812-855-0084, rgdoty@indiana.edu)