The world is grappling with complex environmental and social problems, and the need for professionals skilled in navigating these issues has never been greater. At Goshen, you’ll learn to think deeply about these issues in our society, but you’ll also have many chances to practice what you’ve been learning through real-world problem-solving. In any given semester you’ll go on a variety of field trips to learn how professionals and community members do their jobs and how they connect to sustainability, but you’ll also be learning practical skills like baking bread, preserving food and canoeing as a form of local tourism.
The Sustainability Leadership Semester, at the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College, is for any major interested in making a positive change in the community they live in. It is also the foundation of the sustainability studies major and the sustainability minor. During this 13-week program, you will live with other students in sustainable LEED Platinum-certified “green” buildings, cook food from produce raised on site and make group decisions about limiting consumption — all while learning about societal and environmental problems. You’ll spend your days learning about the local watershed by investigating Merry Lea’s diverse 1,189-acre nature preserve — and a week canoeing on the Elkhart and St. Joseph Rivers. Much of your learning will happen outside of the classroom: in marshland, prairies, living rooms and kitchens.
Whatever you’d like to do after college — whether it’s pursuing further studies in one of many sustainability-related fields or diving right into the challenging and thrilling work of solving problems in communities — studying sustainability at Goshen will get you ready for it!
Learn more about the Sustainability Leadership Semester, a key part of the sustainability studies major or sustainability minor.
For two weeks in February, five Goshen College students joined Ryan Sensenig, professor of biology, in Kenya to assist with prescribed burns inside the Kenya Long term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE).
Leadership from 18 Anabaptist organizations in the United States and Canada convened at the Anabaptist Collaboration on Climate Change (ACCC) on Jan. 26 and 27 to address what many consider a moral emergency.
In celebration of Honoring the Headwaters: 10 Years of SLS, we had a conversation with three alumni from the Sustainability Leadership Semester (SLS).
Acres of land to explore at GC’s Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center
One of the greenest colleges in the country – Sierra Magazine
Ranking among the 40 best college farms, according to CollegeRanker.com
Goshen College has been recognized as a “Tree Campus USA” school by the Arbor Day Foundation
Learn more about Goshen College's exceptional academic outcomes and national rankings.
Hannah Barg first thought seriously about sustainability when she took the Sustainability Leadership Semester (SLS) at Merry Lea, Goshen College’s nature center. Now, Hannah is a network organizer
Hannah's storyJose is a multi-talented sustainability studies and sociology double major who has found ways to be a leader at Goshen College.
José's storyKhampha Stempel, a '21 sustainability studies major, reflects on faith and learning.
Khampha's storyReena is an environmental science major with an ecology focus who is involved in EcoPax, the Tree Care Committee and Student Senate, and is also a stage manager in the Music Center.
Reena's storyBekah’s major was environmental science, but she has a particular passion for food systems. Bekah helped to develop the garden outside of Goshen College’s cafeteria and led the campus composting program.
Bekah's storyJess, an environmental science major from Indianapolis, dreams about having her own farm some day with ducks and goats and many different crops.
Jess' storyJonathon Schramm
Associate Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Education
SST Tanzania: SP
Tom Hartzell
Merry Lea Coordinator for Residential Programs & Environmental Educator
