Sustainability & Environmental Education and Advocacy Certificate

Earn an Experiential Certificate in: Sustainability & Environmental Education and Advocacy

Description

The Sustainability Education and Advocacy certificate explores intersectional identities, activism, policy, and the state of the environment and provides the foundation for being an effective environmental and sustainability advocate. Immersive opportunities including field trips, working with activist experts, developing communication skills, and community partnerships guide students in understanding the social impact of sustainability.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this certificate, students will be able to:

  • Analyze sustainability issues and solutions through a social justice lens.
  • Articulate their personal social responsibility with respect to sustainability.
  • Recognize how to engage with local and extended community partners in order to foster mutually beneficial relationships.
  • Design and carry out a sustainability or environmental advocacy or education project.
  • Appraise relevant career and graduate school opportunities.

Purpose Courses

Students will choose at least three academic courses through Albion College in consultation with the Faculty Director of CSE. Courses should introduce issues related to themes of approved advocacy/education projects. Examples include but are not limited to:

Honors courses and special topics courses that match the purpose of the Hospitality Management certificate also may be approved.

Professional Development

Professional development hours can be fulfilled through any relevant Albion College training including workshops and Innovation Badges offered through the School for Public Purpose and Professional Advancement and college programs. External certifications and professional training offered by third party providers may also be approved by CSE staff.

Students will design or select the appropriate number of professional development hours for their catalog year.

Recommended professional development opportunities include:

  • Intersectional Environmentalism Innovation Badge
  • Environmental Justice in Albion Innovation Badge
  • Sustainable Living Innovation Badge
  • Environmental Advocacy Innovation Badge
  • Career workshops offered by the Career and Internship Center

Experiential Learning

Students will design or select the appropriate number of experiential learning hours, including community engaged experiential learning hours, for their catalog year.

Examples of possible advocacy and education opportunities include:

  • Off-campus internships with environmental non-profit organizations
  • Community-engaged advocacy or education in collaboration with an on-campus partner (e.g., CSE, Whitehouse Nature Center, an Intentional Learning Community, the Education Department’s Maemester program)
  • Campus-engaged advocacy or education, including advocating/educating at Green Day, developing sustainability education for resident halls, organizing CSE or department-sponsored thematic film and panels
  • Campus-based advocacy in collaboration with clubs on thematic projects such as the intersection of environmental and reproductive justice (with Students for Reproductive Justice club), ableism and sustainable business practices (with Diversability Club) , sustainable eating and food security (with student NAACP chapter and Intention Learning Communities)
  • Website development and social media work for CSE or Whitehouse Nature Center
  • Participation on campus Sustainability Council or relevant club that intersects with environmental/sustainability themes
  • Participation in regional or global advocacy project

Interested in earning this Experiential Certificate? Please contact Professor Thom Wilch by email at twilch@albion.edu.