2008 Woodie Awards
Environmental ethics presentations show students, community how to take 'initiative'
By: Lauren Clark
Issue date: 12/4/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Students presented research regarding Environmental Ethics and further discussed how DePauw University can get involved in being more environmentally responsible.
Professor Jennifer Everett, sustainability program coordinator, was the supervisor of the presentations.
"The ideas for some of the presentations were ideas that were previously brought up at a conference at Ball State University, which took place at the beginning of the semester, in which nine students and two staff members attended," Everett said. "It's really interesting to see a group of students so ready to get involved with their surrounding communities and have an impact on it."
The presentations talked about DePauw's local food initiative and the other presentation covered "Exploring Civic Education" and how it was or was not used in a curriculum similar to DePauw's.
Two groups of students presented research and then further discussed how DePauw can play a part in promoting these principles.
The first presentation, on the topic of the local food initiative, explained the importance of purchasing food from local businesses and farmers, the history of the initiative and how further research is needed to discover the benefits and drawbacks of the program.
"It's important that students not only eat the food that's brought to campus from local sources, but also that they know about it, where it comes from and why," said sophomore Lauren Werckenthien. "We're an educational institution, and we should promote learning and awareness about things like this."
The second presentation was about civic education and how it is not apparent in many curriculums, but could and should be promoted. Civic education is the eduational philosphy that promotes putting learning into action in the local community.
"Civic education outside the classroom can be greater than what we learn from textbooks inside a classroom," said fifth-year senior Tom Kaczmarek. "People should know that voting is not all that we can do to participate politically. We can, for example, participate in community service projects and provide examples for other members of our community to live by."
The research compiled on the civic education presentation entailed a survey that was handed out to various professors. Participants were asked if they had ever used or encouraged others to use the knowledge they had gained at DePauw outside of the classroom. The group discovered that humanities departments were the most likely to promote principles of civic education.
Presentations will continue on Wednesday and Friday. Environmental ethics will continue to be the focus and one group will be discussing sustainability in housing on DePauw's campus by taking a close look at the usage of dormitories, greek houses and Universty-owned apartments and houses.
Professor Jennifer Everett, sustainability program coordinator, was the supervisor of the presentations.
"The ideas for some of the presentations were ideas that were previously brought up at a conference at Ball State University, which took place at the beginning of the semester, in which nine students and two staff members attended," Everett said. "It's really interesting to see a group of students so ready to get involved with their surrounding communities and have an impact on it."
The presentations talked about DePauw's local food initiative and the other presentation covered "Exploring Civic Education" and how it was or was not used in a curriculum similar to DePauw's.
Two groups of students presented research and then further discussed how DePauw can play a part in promoting these principles.
The first presentation, on the topic of the local food initiative, explained the importance of purchasing food from local businesses and farmers, the history of the initiative and how further research is needed to discover the benefits and drawbacks of the program.
"It's important that students not only eat the food that's brought to campus from local sources, but also that they know about it, where it comes from and why," said sophomore Lauren Werckenthien. "We're an educational institution, and we should promote learning and awareness about things like this."
The second presentation was about civic education and how it is not apparent in many curriculums, but could and should be promoted. Civic education is the eduational philosphy that promotes putting learning into action in the local community.
"Civic education outside the classroom can be greater than what we learn from textbooks inside a classroom," said fifth-year senior Tom Kaczmarek. "People should know that voting is not all that we can do to participate politically. We can, for example, participate in community service projects and provide examples for other members of our community to live by."
The research compiled on the civic education presentation entailed a survey that was handed out to various professors. Participants were asked if they had ever used or encouraged others to use the knowledge they had gained at DePauw outside of the classroom. The group discovered that humanities departments were the most likely to promote principles of civic education.
Presentations will continue on Wednesday and Friday. Environmental ethics will continue to be the focus and one group will be discussing sustainability in housing on DePauw's campus by taking a close look at the usage of dormitories, greek houses and Universty-owned apartments and houses.
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