Sustainability & Environmental Studies - Faculty

Dr. Thorn specializes in both sustainability studies and recreation management. Her research and teaching interests span both disciplines and include: sustainable parks and protected areas, sustainability education, natural resource management, sustainability in higher education, recreation resource management, carrying capacity, children in nature, human dimensions of natural resources, resiliency theory, commercial recreation, experiential and transformative education and learning, servant leadership, and environmental stewardship.

Dr. Thorn is the faculty mentor for both the Sustainability Club and the Adventure Recreation Club here on the LWC campus.

Dr. Thorn is a certified Professional Environmental Educator with the Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC). She is also a certified through the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) as a facilitator of Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), Project WILD (wildlife education), Project Learning Tree (environmental education), and Project Underground (karst education). Dr. Thorn is also a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) as well as the Wilderness Medical Institute (WMI). Additionally, Dr. Thorn is a certified Leave-No-Trace (LNT) master educator.

Dr. Thorn is highly involved in K-12 activities in the local community. She is the founder and director of the LWC Health and Wellness Center Outdoor Kids Camp (Camp Poplar) and she is an officer and active board member for the Adair County Youth Football League. Experiential education in the environment and outdoors is a passion of hers, and she strives to stay committed to providing these experiences for LWC students and the youth of our local community.