Fisheries and Wildlife graduate student Brandon Pope receives 2008 Park Break! fellowship

Brandon Pope plans to use his graduate studies toward a career in husbandry or education at a zoological garden.

Pope is a master's degree candidate in the fisheries and wildlife program within the School of Natural Resources. He expects to complete his degree in the fall of 2009. The University of Missouri graduate student is also a 2008 Park Break! fellowship recipient.

The Park Break! program is established at four national parks and covers a variety of topics with participants from the collegiate and professional levels.

Pope will work at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on a discussion about the Wildlife-Urban interface.

"Basically, the complexity involved with the interactions of urban inhabitants and their relationships with the ‘natural’ world," he said of the interface. "Considering the large human dimensions aspect of my (graduate) research, this is of particular interest to me."

Pope’s graduate research uses the 4-H programs Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program as a model to educate elementary school-aged children about wildlife and outdoor experiences.

He hopes to determine if an education program can develop enthusiasm in inner-city children.

The 2008 Park Break! program accepted 29 graduate students and professionals.

Pope is one of eight going to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. He will work with students from the University of Florida, Michigan Tech University and the University of Vermont.

Pope’s academic adviser, Charlie Nilon, directed him to the online application for the Park Break! program.