Post and photo by Drumlin Farm Volunteer Marilyn Rudick
A childhood spent outdoors is just what Jennifer Feller needed to prepare her for her current position as Drumlin Farm’s education manager. As an attendee of Virginia’s “Burgundy Farm,” a co-operative school with a wildlife preserve in West Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Jennifer’s classroom was the vast, natural world around her. Later on in high school, she explored her future career as a camp counselor, and by then it was clear she had two passions in life: the environment and education.
As a biology major at Yale University, Jennifer’s field work focused on the “breeding behavior of seagulls.” Eventually, her love of teaching led to a variety of leadership positions. She helped develop an innovative “safe schools” program for gay and lesbian children and was a co-founder at the Shackleton School, where studies led to outdoor expeditions. In 1998, she received her Master’s degree in Education from Harvard University.
Over the years, Jennifer has fostered dual philosophy on education. She enjoys a developmental approach in which the curriculum follows the student’s lead and questions. But she also appreciates the need for structure and accountability, which teachers can use to improve their programs.
Jennifer LOVES her new role at Drumlin Farm, and her enthusiasm is contagious! Since arriving in January 2015, she has been “happily surprised at the breadth of what we do.” She especially enjoys working with the education staff to create a vision for programs that “manifest the mission” of Mass Audubon.
Her number goals? For starters, she wants Drumlin Farm to be a leader in the state environmental community. And she’s eager to expand the physical space of the education building to house this powerhouse program.
“My whole life has prepared me for this job….this is where I am meant to be.”
Welcome, Jennifer!