ABout The Author
Thomas Andrew Bryer is a Pegasus Professor (the highest recognition granted to a professor) in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he has been on the faculty since 2007. He is also a Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities at Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania, and Visiting Professor in the Centre for Social Responsibility at Edge Hill University in the United Kingdom. At UCF, he served as director of the Center for Public and Nonprofit Management, director of community-engaged scholarship at UCF Downtown, director of the public administration track of the interdisciplinary public affairs PhD program, and director of the Master of Nonprofit Management program. He currently serves as founding co-chair of the Center for Social and Civic Prosperity. Dr. Bryer is author or editor of ten books, and PI or co-PI on grants valued at more than $4million. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Lithuania from 2015-2017 and a Fulbright Specialist in Russia in 2018. Receive updated information about him at https://professorvolunteercollaborator.org/
Our Story, Mission, and Approach
Our Story
Our Approach
Our Mission
Thomas, Andrea, and Edward embarked on a unique journey. As part of a sabbatical from the University of Central Florida and with support from the US National Park Service, Thomas (a Pegasus Professor at UCF) researched the motivations and impacts of volunteers in national parks. His wife and son shared the journey for 15 months in their 2
Thomas, Andrea, and Edward embarked on a unique journey. As part of a sabbatical from the University of Central Florida and with support from the US National Park Service, Thomas (a Pegasus Professor at UCF) researched the motivations and impacts of volunteers in national parks. His wife and son shared the journey for 15 months in their 20' Flagstaff E-Pro travel trailer and a mid-project upgrade to 29' Jayco Jay Feather.
Our Mission
Our Approach
Our Mission
Our family's mission from May 2024 through July 2025 was to tell the stories of national park volunteers as they gave of their time and talent to enrich environmental, cultural, and historical national treasures in the United States. Our mission was also to tell the stories of how the parks, communities around the parks, and visitors to t
Our family's mission from May 2024 through July 2025 was to tell the stories of national park volunteers as they gave of their time and talent to enrich environmental, cultural, and historical national treasures in the United States. Our mission was also to tell the stories of how the parks, communities around the parks, and visitors to the parks are different thanks to the commitment of volunteers.
Our Approach
Our Approach
Our Approach
We fulfilled our mission by serving as volunteers in hub parks (Cumberland Gap in Kentucky, Prince William Forest in Virginia, and Gulf Island Seashore in Florida), interviewing volunteers in each location and at other surrounding parks, and learning from park rangers about the work of volunteers. This is a research journey that is experi
We fulfilled our mission by serving as volunteers in hub parks (Cumberland Gap in Kentucky, Prince William Forest in Virginia, and Gulf Island Seashore in Florida), interviewing volunteers in each location and at other surrounding parks, and learning from park rangers about the work of volunteers. This is a research journey that is experiential and deeply embedded. A total of 105 interviews were conducted with rangers and volunteers.