Naturalist Spotlight: Alex Duda

Hello, my name is Alex and I will be one of the 2017 Summer Naturalists here at Upham Woods. Home when I’m not in school is the Chicago Suburbs about 190 miles away in Villa Park, IL.
I currently attend Southern Illinois University and in my senior year I’ll be finishing my degree in Recreation with an emphasis in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management. While at SIU I love to explore what the Shawnee National Forest has to offer and learning all that my professors can teach.

I have always loved the outdoors and what we can do with the resources it can provide the human population. I don’t quite know what it is but there’s something breath taking of just simply going on a hike in a dense forest and opening the eye to what’s more than just on the trail. Growing up I have been active in the Boy Scouts of America even as an adult in the program.

I now look for ways to help the next generation explore and feel at home when in the outdoors. I hope that with my past experience in the field and passion for the subject can help me do my best when it comes to be a teaching naturalist. While I’m also excited to teach, I’m also excited to meet the wonderful youth and adults alike in the 4-H program and hear what their excited for the most this summer!