Matthew Cowin
Staff Writer
Correction: Dr. Kristen Cecala was misidentified in an earlier draft. The Purple apologies for this error.
Mr. Kevin Fouts is the aquatic ecologist/research coordinator at the University of the South. As an undergraduate, he studied advertising at the University of Georgia (UGA) and began his career in the media industry in Manhattan. After some consideration, Fouts attended graduate school at his alma mater to receive a master’s in wildlife ecology and management. From there, he began salamander research in Savannah, Georgia before inspiration from a colleague led to his arrival at Sewanee. Fouts recalled his journey to The Purple and detailed his expanding passion and experience for wildlife preservation in the interview.
Fouts credits his passion for wildlife to experiences he had with his grandmother when he was a child. “Though she had no formal education, my paternal grandmother was always into the natural world,” he said. Recounting his hands-on experience with wildlife that began in her backyard with a humorous story of collecting roly-polies, he said, “I’d [packed] pockets full of roly-polies, which she disapproved of. I then switched to two ring-neck snakes. I’ve been bringing them in ever since.” Early curiosity and experience with the natural world would contribute to his later success in graduate school and his career.
A native Georgian, UGA was an easy college choice for Fouts. Family influence served as an additional contributor to his decision; in fact, Fouts’s parents met at UGA. Despite childhood memories in his grandmother’s backyard, Fouts originally studied and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in advertising before coming to Manhattan. There, he worked for the global headquarters of the world’s largest media firm. Fouts soon grew dissatisfied with advertising and quit his first job. Talking about life after that, Fouts said, “From there I worked as a raft guide until I figured out my next course, which turned out to be graduate school in wildlife studies.”
From 2012-2014, Fouts returned to Athens where he received a M.S. in wildlife ecology and management. His career in wildlife began in Savannah, where he worked as a natural resources research professional for the next four years. “I performed early aquatic research in Savannah and lived with graduate students…I continued contact with my professional team in Athens,” he said, remembering his days there. Among the students and faculty from his graduate school days was Dr. Kristen Cecala who is the current herpetology professor at Sewanee. Cecala would be the one to convince Fouts to accept his new job at Sewanee, where Fouts would step up to be a research coordinator. Talking about that new job, Fouts reminisced, “it was also near the Smokies, where my favorite critters– the salamanders– are prominent.”
Sewanee
Arriving on the mountain in July 2018, Fouts performed the responsibilities of research coordinator for three years. “Dr. Amy Turner appointed me as permanent wildlife coordinator. I currently serve as the university’s wildlife biologist.” Under this role, he and Domain Manager Nate Wilson work to expand wildlife management to exciting heights alongside students and employees. Fouts said of their responsibilities, “We perform faculty research with work study students and hire summer employees. Our management team has done many things from tagging collars on coyotes to releasing wasps to the Pacific and Asia to open doors for student involvement and help us become more acquainted with the land.” The addition of student involvement has largely accelerated the general role of preserving wildlife.
Advice for college students/young people
As for advice for younger students, Fouts emphasizes the importance of passions over time: “It’s okay if you don’t have it all figured out at first…follow your passions.” He stresses additional importance on sustaining relationships just as his colleague had influenced his career shift. “Remember to build your relationships as your paths may cross again. Building a network of people of similar interests is critical for interconnective support,” he said. Fouts’s own experiences of shifting careers and sustaining old friendships has now put him at the pinnacle of his own career, both in wildlife preservation and mentoring young students like himself.