Building on last fall’s Connecting the Dots: The Environment’s Impact on Student Success, this virtual conversation brings together leaders from education, conservation, and government to explore:
- How the institute will prepare the next generation of leaders and introduce younger students to the pathways available to them in health and environmental science.
- Why this work matters so deeply in Tennessee and Southern Appalachia, one of the most biodiverse regions in the country.
- How spending time in nature supports the health and well-being of students and our communities.
Speakers & Panelists
- Sen. Lamar Alexander, former U.S. Secretary of Education & former governor of Tennessee
- Katherine Medlock, Appalachians Conservation Director-South, The Nature Conservancy
- Dr. Jennifer Oody, Division Chair of Health Sciences & Outdoor Studies and Associate Professor of Exercise Science, Maryville College
- Brian Clifford, Deputy Commissioner for Bureau of Conservation, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
- Moderator: Sen. Bill Frist, M.D., Founder & Board Chair, SCORE; Global Board Chair, The Nature Conservancy