Prescott College and the Natural History Institute are excited to announce a new partnership to offer a unique Mogollon Highlands Naturalist Certification program designed to cultivate deep connections to nature, place, and community through the practice of natural history.
This program will focus on field-based study of the Mogollon Highlands Ecoregion in the American Southwest, known for its dramatic landscapes, forests, canyons, and unique biological diversity, where the Colorado Plateau meets the Sonoran Desert and Sierra Madre. Participants will engage with the Mogollon Highlands while building mentorship networks, engaging in creative expression, and developing stewardship, all rooted in firsthand experiences of the land. This program is offered to undergraduates, graduates, continuing education students, community members, and lifelong learners.
The program spans two successive seasons—spring and fall—and will start in Spring 2026. Each season will span three months, including 60 contact hours and an additional 60 hours of guided independent study. Both seasons begin and end with an in-person naturalist retreat to contextualize the season’s learning and experiences.
“The Natural History Institute and Prescott College share a deep commitment to experiential learning and a shared commitment to place. This partnership allows us to bring those values together in a program that strengthens our community’s connection to the Mogollon Highlands through firsthand experience, mentorship, and the sustained practice of natural history,” stated Jennie Tutone, Natural History Institute Executive Director.
Through formal class sessions, weekly field trips, and a mentored approach to the sustained practice of natural history, participants will explore ecosystems such as conifer forest, evergreen woodland, chaparral, grassland, and riparian communities. The program features regular weekend field trips and ongoing mentored practice throughout the field season.
“Prescott College and NHI have a long history of working together to introduce people to the rich natural communities in the Prescott area and across the Mogollon Highlands. This program is a comprehensive introduction to that region, drawing on some of the world’s experts from both the College and the Institute,” added Dr. Pavel Cenkl, Prescott College Dean of Academic Affairs.
About Prescott College
Founded in 1966, Prescott College has sixty years of leadership in developing and refining experiential and online educational models that have kept the college at the forefront of institutions seeking to address urgent issues currently facing human societies. Collaborative learning, multidisciplinary studies, and experiential and field-based learning are hallmarks of the Prescott educational experience. Prescott offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees as well as certificate options. Prescott College students are educators, activists, counsellors, researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs—all of whom are eager to make a difference in their local and global communities. Prescott College is proud to serve a diverse student body that is passionate about making a long-lasting impact on society and the environment.
About Natural History Institute
The Natural History Institute (NHI) fosters a deeper understanding and lasting appreciation of the natural world through programs that blend science, art, and the humanities. Founded in 2017, the Institute has grown into a center for community learning and engagement, providing leadership and resources for a revitalized practice of natural history. Its public programs include immersive field experiences, hands-on workshops, public talks, and art exhibitions. Based in the Mogollon Highlands, NHI is the only organization dedicated specifically to this ecologically rich region, committed to documenting, celebrating, and protecting its biodiversity. Through these programs, NHI inspires stewardship and lifelong learning for the benefit of both people and the land.
Photos courtesy of the Natural History Institute
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