Western Kentucky University
AC-5: Immersive Experience

WKU offers a number of study abroad experiences that incorporate sustainability. For example, an annual faculty-led program to Ecuador looks at agricultural practices and sustainability. An annual program in South Africa focuses on issues of habitat degradation, resource exploitation, and place-based conservation efforts that engage the local community. The Earth, Environment, and Atmospheric Science department regularly take a two-week trip to Iceland to study the effects of climate change and ecotourism, in addition to another program that takes a three week trip to Ireland to explore physical, cultural, and environmental geography once a year. The department also offers a winter-term Hawaii experience for two weeks exploring field techniques, globalization, and regional culture and geography among other topics. A winter-term trip to Costa Rica takes students to the Cloud Forest to study biodiversity and the effects of climate change, and another Costa Rica trip offers focus on agricultural diversity and sustainability of the country. An experience in India focuses on diversity at multiple levels, including Biological, Ecological, Geographical, Historical, Religious, and Cultural. There are also multiple WKU partnered programs through API, CIEE, USAC, ISA, KIIS, and others which offer additional immersive international experiences in other regions such as Iceland, the Himalayas, and Spain. More detailed information can be found in the document attached.

WKU offers students a range of options for study abroad, study away, faculty-led programs, internships and service-learning. The WKU faculty-led programs change from year to year. The examples listed above have been offered consistently on a one or two year rotation.