Alumni Profiles

Bill Duong

Served with SCA - Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP '98

Interview By Megan Allinger, Alumni Editorial Board '08, El Morro National Monument ‘07

Since his first SCA experience as a Bay Area high school student, Bill Duong has been hooked on the outdoors. Now working as a geologist in Sacramento, Bill remains active with SCA projects and events in the Bay Area. I caught up with Bill to ask him about the formative experience he had with SCA.

Q: How did you become involved with SCA?

A: Ten years ago, I was just your ordinary American-born Chinese teenager in high school. I was into computers, played video games, and went about my city life. I didn't know about anything outside that life.  Lucky for me, I joined the Environmental Science Academy upon entering Oakland High School, because they promised the most field trips. That opened the doorway to the outdoors for me. A representative from SCA spoke to my class and told me about this crazy idea of living out in the woods and doing some work over the summer. I jumped right on it.

Q: How do you help introduce the outdoors and conservation ethics to young people who have no exposure to these things?

A: When I volunteer with the Sierra Club Inner City Outings, we target populations that cannot make it outdoors on their own.  We organize trips at little or no cost to the families to get the kids outside, usually starting with something easy like a day hike or bike ride to an area relatively close to them. I like taking them to places close by so they know that they can always return on their own time and enjoy the area with their families.

Q: Why is SCA so important in your life?

A: The community programs are a really special part of the SCA. It targets high school students that have limited or no outdoor experience and provides a completely new, life-changing experience through service to nature. I'm sure it means a lot to those who grew up having outdoor experiences as well, but I believe it is really something else for those who have never seen or experienced anything like that before. For me and most of my crew, it was a first time for many things we experienced on that trip.

Brian Kurzel

Served with SCA - Beale AFB '97, Clearwater NF '96, Denali NP '01, Great Smoky Mountains NP '97, Kenai Fjords NP '92, Lake Clark NP '04, Mount Rainier NP '00, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore '99, Targhee NF '99, Yellowstone NP '93 and '95

Interview by Lauren Freedman, SCA Staff

Brian Kurzel served on an SCA trail crew in Alaska in 1992 before going on to lead nine other SCA crews between 1995 and 2004. Today he is the Coordinator for the Colorado Natural Areas Program, a forest ecology advisor for Colorado State Parks, and co-chair of SCA's 50th Anniversary Honorary Committee.

Q: You've been involved with SCA since you were in high school. That's a remarkable run…

A: SCA was my first exposure to life outside suburban Buffalo. Up to that point, conservation was only an abstract concept.  Not only did I learn what conservation action meant in the real world, but that there were exciting opportunities for young people. My participation with SCA sparked what would become a lifelong passion.

Q: How did you make your way to Colorado State Parks?

A: In working with SCA, I was exposed to a variety of conservation careers including land management, environmental education, and field biology.  I was able to see first hand what kind of skills were needed to be an effective conservationist, and this helped me decide which path I was best suited for. 

Q: What is your favorite memory as an SCA crew leader?

A: In Denali National Park, our main project was to build a raised rock turnpike across a mucky permafrost hillside.  We would labor to dig a large boulder into the soil, go to lunch, and come back to find that it had sunk out of sight! After much frustration, we decided to dig the area out and let it dry [before placing the rock]. It involved quite a bit of patience – but it was inspiring because everyone put their heads together.

Q: There's a lot of talk today about "nature deficit disorder" among young people. What's your take?

A: It definitely exists. There are places where everyone can go to get outdoors and get an experience with nature. We as conservationists need to do a better job promoting these areas, marketing them, and advocating to the youth. We also need to make sure that they are in good shape to keep them attractive to people.

Shannon Quist

Served with SCA - Rocky Mountains '00, Channel Islands '04

Interview and Photo by Lauren Freedman, SCA Staff

From the time she finished her first internship at Rocky Mountain National Park, Shannon Quist (Rocky Mountain ’00, Channel Islands ’04) has stayed actively involved with SCA. As an alumni ambassador, she shared her stories with anyone who would listen, and she is now the newest alumni member of the SCA Board of Directors. Currently on the staff of the National Museum of the American Indian, Shannon is continuing the work she started as an SCA intern.

Q:  What are your favorite memories of your SCA experience?

A:  It’s so hard to choose!  My two SCA internships were so varied.  Perhaps the one thing that ties all my memories together is the people.  In Rocky Mountain National Park I remember the visitor who sent a letter thanking me for my help when I didn’t realize I had done anything at all and the volunteer who openly shared so much of her life story.  And I’ll never forget the colleagues and friends who spent hours on the trails with me introducing the plants, animals, waters, mountains, and stars.

For my Congressional National Parks Internship Program, I was on Capitol Hill and at Channel Islands National Park.  The dedicated staff in Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s office offered guidance, support, and Washington insider tips on exploring the Nation’s Capital.  As for Channel Islands National Park,my best memories are of working with members of the Chumash community to better understand their relationship with the park and then hiking the islands with the knowledge that my feet never fell where someone had not been before.

Q:  How did you make your way to the Museum of the American Indian?

A:  My undergraduate work focused on Indigenous communities and environmental affairs.  Through the SCA position at Channel Islands National Park and a National Science Foundation Summer Research program, I broadened my professional experience working with Native communities.  While participating in the Congressional National Parks Internship Program I watched the construction of the museum located on the National Mall and learned that the museum worked closely with Indigenous communities throughout the hemisphere.  I began in the Office of Education and now work in Community and Constituent Services, the department that focuses on outreach to our Native and non-Native constituents.

Q:  What inspired you to continue your involvement with SCA?

A:  I see SCA as an organization that strives to empower young people to take positive action and share our voices in the conservation of our world.  My continued involvement with SCA stems from the hope that, through sharing my experiences, others may learn about the variety of opportunities available and discover SCA as a resource.