Highlights

Ecotourism alumna chooses her own adventure

Ecotourism alumna Laura Ell will be contributing to the international ecotourism industry when she begins her new job with The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) in Washington, DC.

Ell, who was among the first graduates of Mount Royal’s applied degree program in Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership (ETOL)...recognizing that she could benefit from education in the field, Ell took a correspondence course in ecotourism and then decided to attend Mount Royal.

Ell did her first Directed Field Study in the Solomon Islands as an ecotourism adviser for the European Union and for the local government. Her second work term was with Travel Alberta, which led to a full-time position.

“It has been my experience that employers value the DFS work experience more than a purely academic degree with no work experience component,” she says. “The ETOL program is well-rounded and covers a variety of important skills, from technical writing to business.

Full story