Meet Some of Our Environmental Studies & Policy Students

When it came time to apply to college, I felt lost about what I wanted to do until I realized that I had always been passionate about nature. I wanted to spend my time protecting it, and I figured the best way to do that would be to write policy, educate others, and be an ally for the planet. I was intrigued by the Environmental Studies & Policy program at Champlain because it wasn't limited to environmental science, and it brought the issues into a social lens.

I love the Environmental Studies & Policy program, the professors who teach in it, and the content we cover. Our small classes allow for positive growth and meaningful discussions, which further our individual and collective development. Our professors are incredibly passionate, knowledgeable, and unique. Because our program is so close-knit, we became close with professors and we were able to enhance our learning on a more personal level.

The Upside-Down Curriculum allowed me to jump right into the type of learning and work that I hope to continue in my professional career. I am interested in community engagement, education, and empowerment around social and environmental issues, and my classwork and internships have provided me with a solid foundation of knowledge to feel confident in that field.

I want to work in the outdoors, and the work I've done with the Environmental Policy* major has all been project-driven, outdoor-driven, and with as little office work as possible. It's a lot of fieldwork and that's really important to me. I learn by doing, whether I'm in the apiary or out in the forest measuring trees.

*Program name was changed to Environmental Studies & Policy in 2018

There are three individual hives, all with their own queens. All the hives have personalities, and you can see it when they interact with new people and even in how they build their honeycombs. We harvested honey with Kristin Wolf and learned how to facilitate the management of an apiary.

I love the Winooski Valley Park District. There's a path that's only available in low-flooding times; it's this little offshoot of forest right into the Winooski River. It's really special. There's a beach there surrounded by woods right on a very slow-moving river, and it's beautiful. I helped the Winooski Valley Parks and Recreation Department measure trees and make a trail map there.

I love the permission to express oneself that the Champlain community encourages. The diversity of interests here gives me a clearer perspective about the many facets of society that must be included when decision-making for the future.

I have spent a lot of time talking to students about their influence in the globalized marketplace and in their local political arena. I am interested in conscious consumerism. I dedicate a solid amount of my energy to advocating for the conflict-free campus resolution to get integrated at Champlain so that we stop buying conflict minerals.

I am an intern with the Vermont Ibutwa Initiative. I help them organize events for colleges, run their Instagram account, and update their Facebook page. I have spoken publicly in front of groups at the New England Fair Trade conference and the Student Sustainability Leaders conference about our mission. This opportunity has provided me with the passion, courage, and resources to expand my day-to-day advocacy efforts.

In my Ecological Economics course, I worked with a small group on a Climate Action Plan for Champlain to become carbon neutral by 2030. It took many weeks, and a lot of effort, but our group presented it to Interim President Dr. Laurie Quinn to work on making the project a reality. A huge benefit of going to a small school is a president who listens to their students.

My favorite class was my Ecology course because I love science, labs, and getting outside. Since our class was small, we were able to go around the community to observe local ecosystems. I learned a lot during this course, and I'm sure other science lovers would adore it just as much.

I am currently the Public Programs & Education intern at the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, so I teach children and families STEM concepts at the Center and at schools around Vermont. Most of my classes at Champlain are discussion-based, so I learned not to shy away from a debate and grow as a public speaker.