Charles Eatherly

2020 Davis College Distinguished Alumni Award

Charles Eatherly of Phoenix, Arizona received his bachelor's degree (1961) and master’s degree (1963) in park administration from Texas Tech. During his time at Texas Tech, he worked alongside Professor Elo Urbanovsky and a team of graduate students to develop the Texas State Parks Plan. Now a long-time park administration, Eatherly works with the Arizona State Parks and Trails as an executive consultant and historian. His professional career reflects 59 years of public service in a number of positions within the parks and recreation field. This includes educator, landscape architect, special projects coordinator, and legislation liaison. He’s also taken part in local, regional and state-wide park recreational planning. Awards for Eatherly include the Arizona Park and Recreation Administration’s Professional Emeritus Award, an American Academy for Park and Recreation Administrators’ Legend Award, and the National Association of State Park Directors’ Ney Landrum Park History Award.