Alumna Dr. Rebecca Stanfield McCown MS ’06 and PhD ’11, returned to ̽̽ (̽̽) campus on May 19 to share advice with the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources graduating class of 2024 at ̽̽ Commencement Weekend.
Rebecca is a two-time alumna, having earned both a Master of Science degree and a doctoral degree from the Rubenstein School. Her graduate research focused on racial and ethnic diversity in natural resources and outdoor recreation. Rebecca’s dissertation was awarded the Best Dissertation Award by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in 2012.
After completing her graduate studies, Rebecca turned her dissertation research into a handbook, Beyond Outreach, designed for youth and outreach program managers. She also helped to develop and lead the National Park Service's Urban Agenda.
Rebecca maintained strong connections with ̽̽ and the Rubenstein School as her career progressed. She is an adjunct faculty member in the School and served on its Board of Advisors from 2018 to 2023.
As she began her remarks to the graduates, Rebecca reflected on her time at the Rubenstein School. “Like many of you, I have grown up on this campus. I made friends that continue to impact and influence my life. I was able to grow as an academic, as a researcher, and as a public servant. It was in classes and conversations with people at this school that I became the person that I am. Clare Ginger's class sparked a desire to advance environmental justice policy. And my advisor, Bob Manning, and my work with the Parks Lab taught me the importance of translating research into real-world impacts and decision-making tools.”
Rebecca now serves as Director of the National Park Service’s Stewardship Institute and is currently on detail to the White House Council on Environmental Quality, serving as Deputy Director for Environmental Justice Public Engagement. Her work focuses on supporting park service staff and partners through strategic planning and technical assistance to build partnerships, advance creative approaches to public and community engagement, and develop leadership skills for public land managers.
Rebecca has worked on national projects that include Department of Interior Environmental Justice community engagement initiatives, the NPS Urban Agenda, addressing harassment and hostility in the workplace, advancing facilitation and dialogue skills National Park Service-wide, and peer leadership development programming both nationally and internationally. She continued her speech at the graduation celebration by emphasizing the importance of building community and fostering a diverse network of mentors and peers.
“A defining characteristic of the Rubenstein School and the education we have received here is that it is interdisciplinary,” Rebecca stated. “It requires each of us to step out of our specialties and beyond our field, integrate different disciplines into our writing, our research, and our proposed solutions to complex problems. This is a skill I'm truly grateful to have instilled in me during my time here. But what does being interdisciplinary outside of academics mean when put into practice in our daily lives? It has us reaching for experiences and advice from several branches of knowledge, bringing in diverse people into our community. When I think about being interdisciplinary in my work and daily life, I think about who I invite to sit at my kitchen table.”
Using the literal and figurative kitchen table reference to further illustrate her advice to the graduates, Rebecca spoke about the importance of finding people who challenge you: “This is the role of the kitchen table: they should question you, they should push you, they should make you explain yourself, and then support you in the decisions that you make and the paths that you choose to take.”
Rebecca also shared valuable insight from her fifteen years in Federal Government and leadership positions. “The most successful teams that I have seen and the most successful people that lead them rely on a variety of lived experiences and knowledge to address complex issues. They rely on lived experiences and a variety of knowledge to help meet community needs and find solutions to problems that seem intractable. When I am forming teams, I'm looking for individuals that not only bring those diverse perspectives, I'm searching for people that are also seeking them out, that have that curiosity built into them or that we can develop in them. I am focused on ensuring that leaders are developing those skills to create their own kitchen table in their workplace and in their personal lives to ensure their success.”
Rebecca acknowledged the challenge to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everybody feels safe to be their whole selves with a call to action. “My guess is that you will find yourself in a room where you feel awkward, unsure, maybe even forgotten, questioning how or even if you should contribute. Speak up, it will make the experience and the outcomes richer for you and for everyone else. And, remember that feeling and make it your mission to not let anyone else feel that way. Create the space for others to engage, ask questions, and amplify their voices. Every one of you is going to find yourself in the privileged position of leadership, so use that privilege to ensure those around you feel the security and confidence to openly contribute, because this is where the magic of the kitchen table really lies.”
As she concluded her speech, Rebecca shared the graduates' own words of advice, which they had submitted via survey conducted earlier in the spring semester. “The best advice that I can give you as you step out those doors to start the new chapter is your own advice,” she said. “Talk to people in your class. Have friends in odd places. Create the kitchen table that is filled with unique and unusual people, the most unique and unusual people you can find. Your support system is here for you, take chances, they will have your back. Have an open heart and open mind. Enjoy the newness that is upon you now.”
Rebecca concluded her speech by asking the graduates to thank the people that have been at their kitchen tables throughout their lives – their family, friends, professors, and advisors both past and present. “Let’s take a moment to thank our kitchen tables, those that are with us today, those that are watching at home, and those that aren't with us anymore, but we carry their wisdom inside us. Thank you all for making today possible.”
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