Clemson Extension names new coordinator for S.C. Master Naturalist Program

Since being named program coordinator of the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service’s South Carolina Master Naturalist Program last fall, Mallory Maher has embraced her new position.

“I’m very excited about taking on the role, especially going into a place where someone was in that position for so long and being able to take over the program and kind of transform it, continue in its history and legacy, but also change it and get more people involved in the program,” Maher said.

Maher developed her passion for the program working as a naturalist on Fripp Island after receiving her bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries biology from Clemson in 2012.

“I fell in love with it,” said Maher, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “From there, I realized I would be great working with Clemson Cooperative Extension Service. I love working with the public. I love teaching others about nature and natural resources, specifically.”

So, Maher returned to Clemson to get her master’s in agriculture education with a focus on Cooperative Extension, which she completed in 2015. She was hired by Clemson Extension as a 4-H agent in Oconee County, teaching youth about natural resources and wildlife. In 2021, she got her third degree from Clemson, this time a master’s in wildlife and fisheries biology.

A couple of years ago, Maher shifted to the natural resources program team where she primarily worked on the online and hybrid programs.

As program coordinator of the Master Naturalist Program, Maher oversees six host sites across the state – Upstate, Catawba, Midlands, Winyah, Charleston and Lowcountry.

“Mallory Maher’s deep-rooted experience with the Master Naturalist community and her proven leadership in natural resources education make her an outstanding choice for this role,” said Derrick Phinney, Clemson’s natural resources team leader. “Her dedication to fostering volunteer engagement, expanding educational opportunities and strengthening partnerships will bring fresh energy and vision to the program. With her expertise and passion, I have no doubt that she will elevate the South Carolina Master Naturalist Program to new heights.”

To become a master naturalist, participants must complete a 12-week course that meets once a week for eight hours, plus 22 hours of volunteer service and eight hours of advanced training.

“The whole idea about being a naturalist is getting familiar with the outdoor world, learning how to read a landscape, start observing things a little more closely,” Maher said. “They get lessons from everything from birding and ornithology all the way to geology, plants, mammalogy and everything in between. Each week is a different focus area.”

Maher looks to maintain the quality of the Master Naturalist Program while expanding opportunities to get more people involved.

“I recognize our program usually has some long waiting lists,” she said. “It is hard for someone to take it since it’s a 12-week long, in-person program. It’s hard to either get permission from work to take the course or to be able to take 12 days off. I’d really like to expand different opportunities to get more people involved and get exposed to the program, whether it be a hybrid program, online or a mixture. I think there’s an avenue there that we can expand on.”

Maher also wants to make sure participants are aware of all the resources, fact sheets and programs that are available to them through the Clemson Extension Service, which has  offices in every South Carolina county.

“I love being able to work for the place that I went to school,” Maher said. “But I also get to represent Clemson in our Master Naturalist program across the state. It’s a very unique opportunity to be able to help paint the state orange.”

For more information about the Master Naturalist program, visit clemson.edu/extension/mn.