Citizen science and the associated new technological ability to crowdsource data may be the gateway for engaging the public in the science needed for the management, protection, and stewardship of parks. We posit that citizen science could be an effective gateway to engage new groups of students in ecological science, such as students from traditionally underrepresented groups in the sciences, because the relevance and application of citizen data involves a wider dialogue on science with an increasing diverse public. This RCN brings together scholars and practitioners to explore big data initiatives at the intersections between citizen science, minority participation, student learning, and protected areas management with three main activities: 1) interdisciplinary workshops; 2) student internships that provide introductory research experience for students using citizen science data and spatial and temporal datasets, and 3) collaborative assessments of student learning experiences through the network and the creation of student learning modules based on citizen science data.