An introduction to kayaking altered the course of University of Phoenix faculty member Barbara Plourde’s life in a way she never anticipated.

While kayaking in 1995, Barbara found herself surrounded by people who sparked her passion for the environment and teaching. At the Central Florida campus, Barbara, who has also taught communication and writing, will teach a course in environmental ethics during the next term.

Barbara’s interest in kayaking led to a partnership in a bicycle and kayak store and her involvement in local organizations focused on the environment. She became involved with the Florida Master Naturalists program and started eco-kayak tourism with the Marine Discovery center. Barbara also started volunteering for the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, which offers outdoor skills workshops to women. Over the years, Barbara has taught over 400 women basic kayaking skills.

Her work with these organizations, love for writing, and natural interest in the environment led her to investigate the opportunities for a master’s degree in environmental education. With working part-time in the insurance causality claims business and with a daughter in high school, Barbara determined that an online program would fit her schedule best. Barbara earned her master’s in environmental education from Nova Southeastern University.

During her studies, Barbara used the Internet to tap into the global community to discuss the topics from her courses. She corresponded with a variety of individuals, from staff at the National Geographic magazine to an environmentalist living in Australia. This experience, along with travels to Tibet and Nepal, broadened Barbara’s perspective on environmental issues, providing her with a greater global picture.

After earning her degree, Barbara founded Earthen Bridges, an environmental educational consulting firm that develops curriculum and research projects for businesses and education facilities. For one client in British Columbia, Barbara developed an ecology program that focused on the ecosystems and interconnections shared by black bears, grizzly bears, salmon and eagles.

“I find that in education, if you can offer curriculum that provides an engaging experience and add the element of the outdoors, you can really provide a meaningful experience,” said Barbara.

Looking for a way to integrate education into her environmental pursuits, Barbara accepted a position with University of Phoenix. As a graduate of an advanced online degree program oriented toward adults, Barbara was particularly interested the University’s focus on adult learners.

As part of an upcoming course in environmental ethics, Barbara’s students will introduce themselves to an environmental organization or cause that interests them. Throughout the course students will be asked to stay engaged and encouraged to participate in activities that will have a positive impact on themselves and the community.

“I really enjoy teaching University of Phoenix students. I try to get my students up and out of their seats and become more engaged in the lessons,” Barbara said. “I feel my job as instructor is to start something in the students that could make a life-long impact and may have a change in them.”

University of Phoenix faculty member Scott Dosick embodies the “green” consciousness that we are all striving to achieve.

Scott, who facilitates two courses – Public Relations/Marketing and Environmental Ethics – has been teaching and mentoring students at the University since 2004. The San Diego native brings to his classes a rich background in environmental policy and regulation, as well as an environmental awareness that helps guide his professional and personal choices.

As the president and owner of Sacramento-based Capital Pathways, LLC (CP), Scott helps organizations with grant and contract writing and evaluation, localized public relations and marketing strategies, non-profit association management, as well as recycling and waste diversion consulting.

As with all University of Phoenix faculty, Scott incorporates his day-job skills and experiences into his University lessons.

“One of the most important things for me as faculty is the use of real-world examples,” Scott said. “I’m not about theory, I’m about putting theory into practice.”

And Scott has a long track-record of finding successful strategies for implementing policies that yield immediate and lasting environmental benefits. For example, one of Capital Pathways’ most important clients is the California Association of Local Conservation Corps, an umbrella group supporting the state’s 12 local, non-profit conservation corps.

These local corps provide job training and education for at-risk youth between the ages of 18 and 25 by performing environmental and conservation projects in their communities while co-enrolling these young men and women in a charter high school.

Scott’s green credentials extend to the federal and state governments, as well. In 2000, then-Governor Gray Davis appointed him as Deputy Chief of Recycling for the California Department of Conservation, where he developed and managed a $5 million annual public relations and advertising campaign, among other things.

“I had a great time developing partnerships with the beverage and recycling industries to achieve more effective recycling programs,” Scott said.

Before working for the state, he was with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C., where he promoted and coordinated a national voluntary program that granted regulatory benefits to metal finishing companies when they met certain environmental goals.

Scott now brings his knack for creative problem solving and his passion for protecting the environment to the University, where he has made an important impact both inside and outside the classroom. For example, he led the effort to have Sacramento’s local conservation corps provide recycling services to all of the local campuses starting this fall.

As a result of his commitment to the environment and to helping University of Phoenix students find the link between theory and practical application, Scott was named Faculty of the Year for the College of Undergraduate Business and Management at the Sacramento campus graduation this past September.

“Scott’s real world EPA and environmental experience, combined with his realistic pragmatic approach to the issues and controversy allow the material to be a tangible, learnable, interesting and shockingly enjoyable,” said Erik Pace, one of Scott’s former students.

With a long career working with the environment behind him, Scott looks forward to sharing his experience with his students, but knows that when it comes to the green practices, there is always something new to learn.

“UOP’s Environmental Ethics course has a section on hindcast – looking backwards. I ask my students if they could go back in time and tell their grandparents or great grandparents to do something differently to protect the environment what would it be? Buy a more fuel efficient car? Not use Aquanet (ozone depleting CFC’s)? Choose paint that’s not lead-based,” Scott said. “I then ask them to think about their future great grandchildren. What would they say about our environmental behavior today?”

University of Phoenix is home to many people just like Scott. They are the dedicated, energetic and creative minds behind all of our success. As we all strive to make our home and business environments as “green” as possible, it is the examples set by our own forward-thinking colleagues – colleagues like Scott – that we can look to for inspiration.

Even as a young child Dr. Afamia El-Nakat, an instructor at University of Phoenix in San Antonio, was drawn to nature. While snorkeling and scuba diving with her father, Afamia became fascinated by the environment. It is a fascination that has never left her.

These days Afamia inspires her students with critical insights and observations while teaching courses in environmental studies and research.

Afamia opens her students’ eyes to the deep connections between big environmental issues and their own daily lives. To bring the topic home, she asks her students to collect articles about the local community and then helps them identify environmental themes within the stories. A recent discussion over a stalled local highway construction project led to the revelation that the project had not completed the proper environmental impact assessment before moving forward.

“Many of my students have a business background, so I really do try to give the class relevance and relate the concepts to news we hear everyday,” said Afamia. “I really like to see how the students’ reactions and impressions change through the course about environmentalists.”

The crossover between the classroom and Afamia’s professional life is almost seamless. As an industry analyst for Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, Afamia forecasts trends and provides environmental services. In addition to her research, she also works as a regulatory liaison to acquire permits from state and local agencies.

Afamia has published many peer reviewed articles and presented at national conferences, including events for the American Water Resource Association and the National Registry Environmental Professionals. She is also a registered environmental manager with the National Registry.

In addition to building strong connections between the real world and the classroom, Afamia’s own research strives to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and its application to environmentally sound public policy. While completing her doctorate work on sustainable water resource management at the University of Texas at El Paso, Afamia was honored by the Texas Legislature for her dedication to environmental services and solutions to better the lives of others.

From those first views of the world under the sea to her lessons in the classroom, Dr. Afamia El-Nakat continues to make environmental connections all around her. “I like showing the students that environmentalists have the knowledge to keep us sustainable in this global world,” Afamia said. “So that we continue to grow and develop but maintain what we have in the future.”

University of Phoenix faculty member Durinda Robinson is greening-up Baton Rouge, La. one park at a time.

Durinda is member of the Flower Lovers' Garden Guild, a garden club; a commissioner with the East Baton Rouge Tree and Landscape Commission and a member of the Louisiana Urban Forestry Council.

Over the past several years, she and her groups have planted a memorial garden at the Jewel J. Newman Community Center, established a tree grove at the J. S. Clark Golf Park in Baker and revitalized an inner-city park called Scotlandville Plaza.

Durinda, inspired by gardens she saw on a trip to Bamako, Mali, is currently working with the Baton Rouge Recreation and Parks Commission to establish a community garden in the city.

“We spend a lot of time tending to our green spaces,” said Durinda, a practicing lawyer and entrepreneur.

Durinda is approved to teach courses in Business Law, Foundations of Problem-Based Learning, Legal Environment of Business, Conflict Management Systems and Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business, among other courses. She has also been Faculty of the Day, a tutor and has conducted a Writing Skills Workshop.

She has taught at the Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Metairie campuses and her passion for teaching and practicing the law is rivaled only by her deep commitment to protecting and improving the green places that complement the neighborhoods of Baton Rouge.

“Where there are more green spaces there’s less crime,” Durinda said. “Green spaces help your learning environment, improve your over-all property values. They do a lot of things for the soul, a lot of things for the mind and being in a green space helps your whole well being.”

Durinda embarked upon her green journey when she joined the Flower Lovers' Garden Guild, of which her mother is a charter member. Durinda became a technical advisor to the club and brought her business savvy with her.

“I went to the National Urban Forest Conference of the American Forests in 2003 and learned who the players were in the state of Louisiana,” she said. “Because I knew for the garden club to be effective, they had to network.”

Durinda’s drive to improve everything she’s a part, her energy and her legal and business acumen have greatly benefited Baton Rouge and the city’s green places. It is these same qualities that make her such an outstanding University of Phoenix faculty member and such an important inspiration for everyone striving to green-up their own communities.