Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 51.92
Liaison Jonathan Lantz-Trissel
Submission Date July 26, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Eastern Mennonite University
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Deirdre Smeltzer
Vice President and Undergraduate Academic Dean
Undergraduate Academic Dean's Office
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Does the institution offer at least one immersive, sustainability-focused educational study program that is one week or more in length?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused immersive program(s) offered by the institution, including how each program addresses the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability:

EMU's three decade old "Cross-cultural" program is a highly immersive one semester or a 3-10 week summer experience, usually in the Global South or among other economically and culturally marginalized populations, that is required for all undergraduates at the university. Beginning in 2010, The program formally integrated sustainability into its learning outcomes and experiential learning objectives. According to the QEP Peace With Creation project guidelines, the Cross-cultural program now includes the following: “Students will learn how to evaluate the impact of their group’s travel during their cross-cultural experience through ecological footprint comparisons, logging of resource use, exploration of carbon offsetting, or similar exercises either while in the host country or during orientation. In addition, students will identify sustainability issues in their host community and explore how responses to these issues are reflective of the broader host culture. Upon returning to EMU, each cross-cultural group will be provided an opportunity to deliver a campus-wide presentation about their experience, including their learning and development with regard to environmental sustainability. Finally cross-cultural leaders will also report on sustainability efforts and learning experiences in their final written reports and debriefing.”


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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