

Mark Kreider ’18: A master student mastering all
Mark Kreider '18 believes piano performance is an energizing complement to his graduate work in ecology.
The world is grappling with complex environmental and social problems, and the need for professionals skilled in navigating these issues has never been greater. At Goshen, you’ll learn to think deeply about these issues in our society, but you’ll also have many chances to practice what you’ve been learning through real-world problem-solving. In any given semester you’ll go on a variety of field trips to learn how professionals and community members do their jobs and how they connect to sustainability, but you’ll also be learning practical skills like baking bread, preserving food and canoeing as a form of local tourism.
The Sustainability Leadership Semester, at the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College, is for any major interested in making a positive change in the community they live in. It is also the foundation of the sustainability studies major and the sustainability minor. During this 13-week program, you will live with other students in sustainable LEED Platinum-certified “green” buildings, cook food from produce raised on site and make group decisions about limiting consumption — all while learning about societal and environmental problems. You’ll spend your days learning about the local watershed by investigating Merry Lea’s diverse 1,189-acre nature preserve — and a week canoeing on the Elkhart and St. Joseph Rivers. Much of your learning will happen outside of the classroom: in marshland, prairies, living rooms and kitchens.
Whatever you’d like to do after college — whether it’s pursuing further studies in one of many sustainability-related fields or diving right into the challenging and thrilling work of solving problems in communities — studying sustainability at Goshen will get you ready for it!
Learn more about the Sustainability Leadership Semester, a key part of the sustainability studies major or sustainability minor.
Mark Kreider '18 believes piano performance is an energizing complement to his graduate work in ecology.
Goshen College is one of the nation's most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review.
Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley '97, Goshen’s urban forester, worked with 2020 alumnus Aidan Friesen to conduct research looking at projected climate change impacts to our urban forest.
Goshen College has been recognized as a “Tree Campus USA” school by the Arbor Day Foundation
Ranking among the 40 best college farms, according to CollegeRanker.com
One of the greenest colleges in the country – Sierra Magazine
Acres of land to explore at GC’s Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center
Learn more about Goshen College's exceptional academic outcomes and national rankings.
Noemi Salvador, a 2017 peace, justice and conflict studies graduate from Quito, Ecuador, is passionate about raising awareness of environmental issues in Ecuador.
Noemi's storyJack Shomberg was an environmental science major at Goshen College who faced hard-headed questions from city officials while he was working with them on a restoration project.
“I’d love to do green stuff, but..."
Reena is an environmental science major with an ecology focus who is involved in EcoPax, the Tree Care Committee and Student Senate, and is also a stage manager in the Music Center.
Reena's storyHannah Barg first thought seriously about sustainability when she took the Sustainability Leadership Semester (SLS) at Merry Lea, Goshen College’s nature center. Now, Hannah is a network organizer
Hannah's storyAJ Delgadillo wanted to improve society's food waste problem, so he took an idea and ran with it.
AJ's storyWhen Ryan becomes Goshen College’s first sustainable food systems graduate in 2019, his resume will include familiarity with both small scale sustainable farming and conventional farming practices.
Ryan's storyJoel Pontius
Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Education
Director of Sustainability Leadership Semester
Contact me with questions!
Jonathon Schramm
Associate Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Education
SST Tanzania: SP
Ryan Sensenig
Professor of Biological & Environmental Science
ES Program Director
& Lindsay Teaching Fellow
Michelle Horning
Professor of Accounting
Program Director
Dave Ostergren
Director of Graduate Program in Environmental Education
Danielle Pagoria
Administrative Assistant