Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 83.26
Liaison Megan Litke
Submission Date Feb. 12, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.2

American University
ER-12: Sustainability Immersive Experience

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Joshua Kaplan
Sustainability Outreach Specialist
Office of Sustainability
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Does the institution offer a program that meets the criteria for this credit?:
Yes

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A brief description of the sustainability-focused immersive experience(s) offered by the institution:
AU offers several sustainability-focused immersion experiences. In spring of 2013, students led an alternative break trip to Pennsylvania and upstate New York to focus on the relationship between sustainable development and human rights by examining the effects of fracking in the state. Students engaged with community members to see how fracking has affected them. There are many other sustainability-focused immersion experiences offered every year. First, the Natural Resources and Sustainable Development masters degree through the School of International Service sends students to Costa Rica for one year to conduct hands-on sustainability projects and attend the University of Peace. Second, students in the Practice of Environmentalism course take a 10-day research trip to the Galapagos Islands with faculty from three disciplines—environmental science, environmental policy, and film. Finally, the university offers several sustainability-focused Alternative Spring Breaks including a trip to Guatemala which focuses on rebuilding communities in the wake of crises, with specific attention paid to defending human rights and environmental justice.

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The website URL where information about the immersive experience is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Alternative Spring Break: http://www.american.edu/ocl/volunteer/Alternative-Breaks-Homepage.cfm NRSD Program: http://www.american.edu/sis/sisabroad/graddual/UPeace.cfm Galapagos: http://www.american.edu/research/success/galapagos-collaboration-070109.cfm

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