President Rebecca Stoltzfus reappointed for a third term. Learn more
Merry Lea has a working farm to help demonstrate sustainable living and farming practices.
Master of Arts in Environmental Education
Thank you for your interest in the Master of Arts in Environmental Education at Goshen College.
This program is currently being revamped to better meet the needs of future students. We hope to resume enrolling students in this program in the fall of 2027.
It will continue to be rooted at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center—Goshen’s 1,189-acre nature preserve— where students will learn, teach, and lead in one of Indiana’s most ecologically diverse outdoor classrooms. This intensive program will blend ecological fieldwork, environmental teaching practice, and intercultural learning to prepare you for careers in environmental and sustainability education, land stewardship, and environmental leadership.
Merry Lea hosts learning opportunities for people of all ages.
Merry Lea has over 8 miles of hiking trails.
Merry Lea features two lakes on the property that are open for public visit.
About Merry Lea
Merry Lea provides environmental education for people of all ages to develop knowledge, behaviors, and skills that will contribute to a healthier world. Our diverse ecosystems provide opportunities to explore landscapes and natural processes of Northeastern Indiana, provoke interest in life-long investigation, and encourage stewardship. These experiences in the outdoor world are shaped to help inspire exploration and foster a sense of wonder.
About the land
Most of the ecosystems found in Northeastern Indiana are present at Merry Lea. Wetland ecosystems are a particular strength. Unique geological features such as peat bogs, a marl pit, and glacial gravel formations are also part of the landscape.
Management of the landscape is guided by a Christian theology of earthkeeping. We recognize that we are accountable to God for our stewardship of land in the same way we are accountable for other aspects of our lives. Visitors can observe management practices such as wetland, prairie, and savanna restorations. The Merry Lea Teaching Farm showcases strategies for growing food without harming surrounding ecosystems.
About our environmental education
Merry Lea is a leader in environmental education. Over 6,000 children and youth visit the nature center each year for innovative PreK to 12 programs such as Exploring the Merry Lea Teaching Farm, Rock Cycle, Exploring Nature, and more. Local children build long-term, life-changing relationships with the land through programs such as our Nature Preschool and PROWL (an after school program) which provides repeated exposure. Families and general adult audiences also experience place-based learning through a range of programs geared for them.
Merry Lea’s relationship with Goshen College enables it to provide an innovative undergraduate semester called the Sustainability Semester. Students live on-site at Merry Lea’s Rieth Village and the entire nature center serves as their classroom. The semesters are integral parts of Goshen College’s Sustainability major and minor, but they are open to those from other majors and schools. Undergraduates also conduct research at Merry Lea.
The quality of Merry Lea’s land base and diversity of its program offerings makes it an ideal setting for the advanced students in the Master of Arts in Environmental Education (MAEE) program. The 11-month program covers pedagogy, natural history, leadership, environmental issues, land management and research methods and more. Practicum experiences include teaching in PreK to 12 programs, public programs, and intercultural settings..