Marine Ed Center Names Docent Coordinator

January 24, 2007

Ocean Springs, Miss.—Donna Rutherford of Gautier has accepted the position of docent coordinator and co-director of Project Marine Discovery Sea Camp at The University of Southern Mississippi’s J.L. Scott Marine Education Center (MEC).

“Donna’s science background, teaching experience and love of our coastal environment make her a natural for the job,” said Dr. Shelia Brown, interim director of the MEC. “Her first challenge will be to rebuild the docent program, making it even better than pre-Katrina.”

Rutherford earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1986, after which she served as an elementary school instructor for 10 years.

From 1998-2004, she was a marine mammal trainer at Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Miss. In 2006 she was an instructor for Sea Camp at the marine education center's post-Katrina location at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.

Rutherford said she hopes to instill in all generations a sense of stewardship for the coastal environment through her work at the center.

The J.L. Scott Marine Education Center is the community outreach and public education arm of the GCRL.