Environmental Studies gets a Facelift on its Program
Big plans lie ahead for the environmental studies program at the University. Moving from a less public-accessible office on the third floor of Orson Spencer Hall, the program has now moved into the first floor, middle wing of the building. Why was the move crucial? When the program started in 1994, it had 120 students. It has now expanded to 270 students. With that growth, a permanent office space was needed. Natasha Seegert, Associate Director says that they’ve already started to receive notice from students. “I think this is a great way of getting more publicity for the program. I’ve had students stop by and say, ‘Hey, I had no idea we had an environmental studies program!’”
It is important to note that this isn’t an ordinary move. Seegert clarifies, “When we knew we had this space, I got in touch with the Office of Sustainability, and through the SCIF (Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund) grant, we were able to receive $9,000 in funding to remodel our office.” It has already been painted with zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint and the program has purchased consignment furniture to furnish the space. Also, the cement walls will also be retouched with American Clay to add a little more texture to the previously barren room. They are even hoping to get LED lighting put into the space. Seegert believes the remodel will be done by the beginning of Fall semester, and it will be used as a model open house for the Office of Sustainability gathering on September 7th.
Not only is the program moving to a new space, but the program itself is seeing a remodel. The title “Environmental Studies” will be renamed to “Environmental and Sustainability Studies.” Seegert says, “This change has created the opportunity to evaluate and reassess the program and see what needs to be changed and what we could make better.” She thinks that this reassessment will create a more defined track for the students enrolled in the program and also hopes that it will create a marketability for them post graduation.
The environmental and sustainability studies program is an interdisciplinary program that combines faculty from engineering, humanities, and social sciences. This creates a great variety in the curriculum according to Seegert. The broadness of the title also gives students the ability to take their studies on different routes according to their interest, whether it be in communication, policy changes, non profit organizations, or even entrepreneurship. Seegert also stresses that environmental and sustainability studies churns out more than the stereotypical forest ranger. She adds, “This program requires each student to do an internship so that they can get a feel for what they’re wanting to do. Some students end up changing their minds, and others make up their minds due, in big part, to these internships.”
This program offers a number of fun, interesting, and overall educating classes. Introduction to Environmental Studies is a required class for the program, but it is taught in a way that the class has a different professor each week. It gives students the opportunity to see different teachers come in and discuss what they do. This gives the students a chance to see which teachers they’d like to take additional courses from. Another popular course among the program is Global Climate Change. Seegert explains, “I have heard that this is a favorite among students even though it’s not considered a particularly easy course. I’ve had students who got C’s out of the course say that this was their favorite class.” The more upper level courses include one called Consuming the Earth. This course takes a deeper look at how the planet is being used up and what we are doing about it. “Though it’s not a happy subject, it is another favorite because many students say they learned a great deal from this course,” states Seegert. Along the same lines, Environmental Ethics is a course that gets into a deeper understanding of human behavior and why we do certain things in relation to the environment.
Environmental and Sustainability Studies is rapidly becoming a popular major in big part because of the current issues going on with the environment. Many students choose to do a double major with this program—some team it up with geography, urban planning, or political science. Though scares of certain environmental issues threaten to take away potential future jobs, Seegert feels it is important to mention, “You can take this program to just about any area you want. Take some courses, find out your strengths and weaknesses, and make an appointment with your advisor to discuss any of your concerns because they can steer you in the right direction.”
With a newly renovated office, as well as a newly changed program, Environmental and Sustainability Studies is a program that everyone should consider.