ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Experiential Learning

The Environmental Studies Department offers an interdisciplinary major with three tracks: Arts and Humanities, Natural Science, and Social Science, and a concentration.  All students majoring or concentrating in Environmental Studies must complete an experiential component, but you are strongly encouraged to explore experiential opportunities that relate to Environmental Studies throughout your four years at St. Olaf.  Ideally, you will start early and connect with multiple experiential opportunities, enriching both your understanding of the material studied in class, and your overall experience as an Environmental Studies major or concentrator.   The staff at the Piper Center will help connect you to a wide variety of experiential opportunities through their four programs: Academic Internships, Career Connections, Civic Engagement, and Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

The following is a set of guidelines that explore different ways you can make the most of the opportunities that exist through St. Olaf. Although listed by class year, they may be considered somewhat fluid.  You are strongly encouraged to take them into consideration!

Discover
First Years and Sophomores

  • Visit the Piper Center to learn about different environmental opportunities you can connect with throughout your four years at St. Olaf, including internships, grants, civic engagement opportunities, and more
  • Explore the Environmental Studies website and meet with professors from each track
  • Take Intro to Environmental Studies early
  • Get to know the environmental scene at St. Olaf by checking out the Black Gold & Green site and the Campus Sustainability webpage
  • Join a student organization that relates to your interests
  • Check the Piper Center website to stay updated about workshops, fairs, scholarships, internships, jobs and other opportunities from the Piper Center

Investigate and Explore
First Years and Sophomores

Experiment and Evaluate
Juniors and Seniors

  • Take a class with an academic civic engagement component that allows you to apply knowledge and tools to address a community issue
  • Seek leadership opportunities within student organizations
  • If you've been a student environmental leader, consider serving on the Sustainability Task Force: contact Professor Jim Farrell (farrellj@stolaf.edu)
  • Take an Environmental Studies class outside of your chosen track
  • Consider applying for the student naturalist position
  • Apply for a grant to start or build upon an environmental project:
  • Work with the Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship program and the student group OASIS (Oles Advancing Social Innovation & Sustainability) to help launch your project
  • Consider applying for the Innovation Scholar Program or if you are interested in non-profit work and/or sustainable agriculture (only open to current Juniors)
  • Consider applying for Leaders for Social Change as an opportunity to work with local nonprofits and develop social change skills (open to Sophomores and Juniors)
  • Do a summer internship/job/research/volunteer opportunity related to a different track in Environmental Studies (see above for helpful links)

Implement
Juniors and Seniors