Beth Javener, the outdoor recreation coordinator at Coastal Carolina University, has been awarded a Walking College Fellowship by America Walks, a national advocacy organization that promotes walking and walkable communities. She is the only walker from South Carolina to be selected for the fellowship.

The fellowship will enable Javener and 23 other advocates from around the country to participate in a four-month training program designed to strengthen local efforts to make communities more walkable.

"We are delighted to welcome Beth as a member of our 2017 Walking College class," said Ian Thomas, state and local program director with America Walks. "This program was developed in response to our findings that access to technical assistance and a national peer network are among the most pressing needs for advocates working at the local level."

Javener will complete a six-module distance-education training program this summer and participate in the National Walking Summit in St. Paul, Minn., in September. "I'm excited to be a part of a national walking movement with a focus on our local community," she said.

At the conclusion of the Walking College program in November, Fellows like Javener will develop a Walking Action Plan for improving walkability in their communities.

Javener is in her second year with University Recreation at CCU. She oversees the Coastal Cycles bicycle program, a free bike rental program on campus, and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.

"Working as the outdoor recreation coordinator at Coastal Carolina University has given me a unique perspective of how beneficial walking/multiuse paths are for health, economic impact, environmental effect and socialization for our students and our community," says Javener. "I am very excited to work to make our community more walkable, bikeable and liveable for all."

Now in its third year, the Walking College curriculum has been designed to expand the capacity of local advocates to be effective community change agents. Topics include the science behind the benefits of walking, evaluation of built environments, as well as communication skills and building relationships with stakeholders and decision makers.

The walking curriculum complements CCU's master plan to create a more pedestrian-oriented area within the core of campus.