Lake Superior State University takes great pride in the achievements of its alumni, and Shaun McKeon is one such example of dedication and excellence. Shaun is a 2011 graduate of LSSU having earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Parks & Recreation and a Bachelor’s of Science in History, as well as the Natural Resources Associate’s Degree. Shaun currently serves as the Explorer Program Coordinator with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Lansing.
As a freshman, Shaun decided to come to Lake Superior State University to pursue a major in Fisheries and Wildlife. However, his academic journey took a turn after just one semester when he took Sally Childs’ REC 101 class, quickly realizing that the Parks & Rec major was his true calling. “I chose Lake State because of the hands-on aspects of the classes and also the cost,” said Shaun. “It was affordable, and I was also lucky enough to have worked summer jobs to save my money and came out of school without student debt.”
As a student, Shaun was very involved at LSSU with the Parks & Rec Club, broomball, soccer, and even a rugby team for a few years. Under his leadership with the Parks & Rec Club, Shaun was part of the team of students who helped plan and install the disc golf course and bring the rock wall to Lake State, enhancing the recreational opportunities for his fellow students. He earned recognition as the Outstanding Parks and Recreation student in 2011. “We brought the rocks up on a semi-truck for the rock climbing wall in the Student Activity Center,” commented Shaun. And even though he had already graduated when the wall was installed, he went on to comment, “I end up coming back to LSSU a couple of times a year – in my previous role with the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) and with my current position – to hire for seasonal positions, so I’ve been able to climb the rock wall.” Shaun was also involved in mapping out and installing the disc golf course that’s currently on campus, and he’s been back several times to play the course as well. Along with classes and his extracurricular activities, Shaun also worked in the Galley, “flipping burgers,” he added.
The road from graduation to his current position with the DNR has included many interesting and enriching stops along the way, and Shaun was also able to earn a Master’s of Science Degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management from Michigan State University. Following graduation from LSSU, Shaun worked as a summer camp director for Ferndale Parks & Recreation for a season. From there, he moved to the State College, PA area and did an AmeriCorps term doing drug and alcohol outreach prevention with kids in recreation and after school programming. Following his time with AmeriCorps, he moved to Traverse City and ran a private summer camp on Old Mission Peninsula. After that experience, Shaun moved to Grand Haven and served as a Community Recreation programmer, and in 2013 he landed at Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) in Lansing.
Hired as the Camp Director and Educator at MUCC, he has served in a variety of capacities, but spent the greatest amount of time serving as the Education Director. Among his responsibilities were developing and administering the summer youth camps, initiating other youth focused activities, and writing/editing the MUCC youth publication, TRACKS, which is primarily distributed through public schools throughout Michigan to 4-6th graders. Each issue features a different Michigan animal. Shaun also wrote regular contributions for Michigan Out-of-Doors magazine. Additionally, he visited university job fairs to recruit students for summer jobs with MUCC, as well as to provide information about careers. Working for MUCC, Shaun demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and fostered a collaborative work environment.
In 2022, Shaun was promoted to Deputy Director at MUCC. In this capacity, he oversaw a team of 8 staff, and expanded the education outreach of MUCC by seeking and receiving grant funding which enabled him to travel around the state and work with schools and teachers to engage students in conservation projects such as habitat restoration, stream ecology, planting trees, and other projects orientated toward supporting the region’s ecosystems. “While at MUCC I was helping kids catch their first fish through programs we ran,” Shaun said, “and through the habitat work of our ON the Ground program, our team improved over 3,000 acres of public land on projects I oversaw or was connected to. I experienced the statewide impact of connecting people to resources and doing good things for wildlife. I’m very proud of these things.”
In January 2024, Shaun accepted the Explorer Program Coordinator position with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), where he currently recruits and hires 30-40 seasonal environmental educators in Michigan State Parks. These are the parks that don’t have full time education centers, so his summer staff will provide nature and environmental education. He’s currently traveling to state universities to do job fairs to connect with students and hire summer employees, and he’s visiting the state parks to connect with the Park Managers to get their seasons planned. Shaun will travel to all of the state parks (30 state parks in total – 6 in the U.P.) over the summer, plus he oversees a staff that will visit these parks every two weeks.
Shaun emphasized the significance of his role within the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), stating, “It has statewide impact, and that is very important to me. Getting people to fall in love with the outdoors is my goal.” This sentiment underscores his dedication to fostering a deeper appreciation for nature among the public.
Lake Superior State University certainly shaped Shaun’s career path through the guidance of his advisor, Sally Childs. Shaun said, “She was my advisor and definitely my mentor.” He went on to say, “along with Deb McPherson, many of the lessons they taught me in my classes at LSSU, are things I still use today.”
Another highlight of Shaun’s time at Lake State was his 2009 study abroad trip to Africa with Dr. Ashley Moerke. He commented, “It was a life changing event. We traveled to 3 countries – South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe – experienced white water rafting and saw all kinds of animals.”
Shaun also fondly remembers his experiences with the Parks & Rec Club, including their fundraiser Camp-a-Thon in the pines outside the Norris Center. He remembered, “It was a good time with friends to benefit a good cause.” Shaun had the opportunity to take a backpacking class as well as downhill skiing while at Lake State. He also exuberantly commented, “The basketball team went to the National Tournament twice while I was a student at LSSU, and I went to a March Madness game.”
When asked what advice he would have for students who would be interested in a career path similar to his, Shaun said, “You have to be willing to do it! It’s a lot of effort, work and long hours of making connections with a lot of seasonal positions and internships and building the resume. You’ll make an impact on yourself and your own quality of living and with the people you get to spend time with.” He went on to say, “There are a lot of rewards in this kind of work and there are a ton of Lakers in the field doing work for the DNR. It’s a great community of people who’ve been launched by LSSU.”
Shaun is originally from Mt. Clemens and now resides in Owosso, MI, with his Fiancé, Dr. Jessi Shire-DVM, their yellow Lab – Cedar, and two cats – Tac and Jaws.