One student remarked, while hiking toward the station with
wetland muck and creepy-crawly macroinvertebrates, “This is awesome. If my high
school did something like this, everyone would have run away screaming.”
And thus begins the Goshen College transformation. Here at
GC, we seek to engage students with the natural world – to help students
understand the intricate ways in which the Creator has linked us all to the
people, plants, and animals with whom we share the earth. We use the core values of Christ centeredness,
passionate learning, servant leadership, compassionate peacemaking, and global
citizenship to inform and guide the education we provide and the actions we
take. These ethics have led Goshen to become a leader in creation care and
sustainability.
The proof of this is evident at both campuses: main campus
in the town of Goshen, and the 1,189-acre satellite often referred to as Merry
Lea. In the newest example, GC committed to purchasing 100% green electricity
which will be supplied primarily by solar and wind sources. That single action
has cut the college’s carbon footprint by 45%. Other main campus initiatives
include solar water heaters on The Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center
(a.k.a. “Rec-Fit”), a student-run composting facility that turns food waste
into a fertile soil additive which is then used to grow more food for the
dining hall, and native prairie plantings that have greatly reduced rainwater
run-off and gasoline use by the Physical Plant’s lawnmowers. For more, visit http://blog.goshen.edu/gogreen/
College President Jim Brenneman, Sustainability Coordinator
Glenn Gilbert, as well as numerous other GC faculty and staff have unquestionably
made exemplary strides in promoting and practicing creation care and
sustainability at the main campus. Serving as a perfect complement to these
efforts, Merry Lea provides opportunities for students to learn and practice such
skills in a unique, intensive, and hands-on way. Most recently, Merry Lea initiated
a fall semester program that takes an interdisciplinary look at sustainability
issues – the Sustainability Semester in Residence (SSR). Another residential
program takes place during the summer months, focusing on sustainable
agriculture – the Agroecology Summer Intensive (ASI). Of course, Goshen College
hopes that each and every student gains skills that simultaneously serve God
and foster a sustainable future, so both of these programs are open to students
from any major. For more, visit http://www.merrylea.goshen.edu/undergraduate-programs
So, 1st Year students, welcome to GC. May the
next four years bring enrichment, enjoyment, and positive change. Admire and be
inspired by the forward-thinking actions that you see daily on campus. Visit
Merry Lea, whether it be to learn, or simply to retreat and reconnect with God
and nature. It supplies the kind of spaces and opportunities that few college
students have access to. Make the most of it.
