Transportation Scholars Program: Helping our National Parks

Explore NPF's Work in Parks by Region

Parks have transportation challenges, too. Over the past nine years the National Park Foundation (NPF) and the National Park Service (NPS) have sought to resolve these challenges through the National Scholars Program, a pairing of graduate or undergraduate students with (generally) young transportation professionals. Scholars assist in, and often lead, transportation planning, analysis, public outreach, and environmental studies. NPS’s emphasis on transportation may come as a surprise to some, but providing safe and efficient transportation to our nation’s parks has always been a top issue for the agency.

“Since they were established more than 100 years ago, national parks have been challenged to encourage people to experience these magnificent places—in their cars, campers and boats—while minimizing the environmental impact of these visits,” said Vin Cipolla, Vice Chair of the NPF. “Connecting the innovation of scholars and students who represent some of the best minds in transportation with the management expertise of the National Park Service, we are creating a winning partnership that will help ensure our national parks continue to be enjoyed and cherished by future generations.”

This fantastic program allows students to garner real-world transportation experience while developing mentorship skills for NPS professionals. Scholars are able to serve anywhere from three months to an entire year, and are tasked with full-time duties on meaningful transportation projects with complex issues, such as developing design and management recommendations for safe public access to Colorado National Monument near Grand Rapids, as well as building a multimodal alternative transportation plan for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in Minneapolis.

Scholars are now encouraged to blog their experience, allowing others a sneak-peek into both the NPS transportation world and each scholar’s fascinating experiences. With continually updated digital access to the excitement and beauty of each of this year’s five parks, one cannot help but feel a bit jealous. Much like the National Scholars Program itself, the change of scenery and fresh perspective can be quite rewarding. “The snorkeling along the northern side is good…,” says Beth Isler, located in the Virgin Islands National Park, “especially since I found a $20 bill sitting on the bottom, kind of like buried treasure.”

• Adam Goodliss, Colorado National Monument:  http://colmtransportationscholar.blogspot.com/
• Brooke Merrell, Alaska Regional Office:  http://transportationscholarakro.blogspot.com/
• Lorin Culver, Mississippi National River Recreation Area:  http://misstransportationscholar.blogspot.com/
• Beth Isler, Virgin Islands National Park:  http://npf-vinp.blogspot.com/
• Laurie Miskimins, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:  http://havotransportation.blogspot.com/