Elizabeth (Ibit) Wright Getchell, M.S.

Student Services Coordinator, Advisor, Lecturer

This fall I will be on sabbatical and away from the office after the first week of the fall 2012 semester. In my absence Caitlan Stephens will be available for advising part-time this fall. If you have been my advisee you will be reassigned to one of our faculty for the semester.

I'll have walk-in (first-come first-served) hours every day that first week of classes, August 27 - 31 from 1:30 - 3:30 in the conference room at Bittersweet. For an individual appointment with me, please call Sue Bean, 802-656-4055. Please come prepared to use our time efficiently. Have you seen our new FAQ section?

Any questions, or requests for appointments with all ENVS advisors, call 656-4055 Sue Bean.

Education:
M.S. 1990, Antioch New England Graduate School, Environmental Studies with a focus on Environmental Communications
B.S. 1983, Middlebury College, Geology / Northern Studies
Certificate in Northern Studies, 1982, Center for Northern Studies, Wolcott, Vermont

I have been the Student Services Coordinator (SSC) in the Environmental Program since February of 1995.

Office:
Environmental Program
University of Vermont
153 S. Prospect St.
Burlington, VT 05401
Tel: (802) 656-0176
Fax: (802) 656-8015
Email: egetchel@uvm.edu

Student Services in the Environmental Program
The Student Services position in the Environmental Program serves as a critical link between the Program faculty, college and university administrations and environmental studies (ENVS) majors, minors, students taking ENVS courses, and the public. My major responsibilities fall into four categories: student support and informational advising; Program communications; public information; and opportunity resources and referrals to students. I offer informal personal, academic, and informational advising to UVM students, and prospective first year and transfer students.

I talk with students about the Environmental Program and help them understand the UVM catalogue, especially as it relates to ENVS majors, minors, college requirements, individual programs of study, our core courses and courses of special interest. There are many avenues open to students interested in studying environment at UVM. I help people understand the options as they seek to match their own needs and interests with the appropriate program of study. I also serve as a sounding board as students exercise their ability to choose courses, internships, study abroad experiences, and other options. I often guide them back to their advisors, or other appropriate faculty or staff, but I can help them understand what might be possible so that then they can go to faculty (hopefully) with more clarity. An important part of the student support that I offer is the listening and assisting with personal issues that may or may not have to do with academics.

As SSC I am also responsible for the publication of the Program newsletter, the Bittersweet Vine, and the bi-weekly publication of our more timely on-line newsletter, Bittersweet Notes with the help of a work-study student.

Opportunity Resources and Referrals
I try to serve as a clearinghouse for ideas, resources and references for students interested in expanding their educations to include paid or unpaid internships, volunteer work, study abroad, study at other colleges, universities, or other non-UVM educational programs, and travel and work experiences. I keep a growing resource center of posters, catalogues, newsletters, brochures, directories and reference books available to students here at the Bittersweet anytime the building is open. I work to maintain a first-stop resource center that focusses on interdisciplinary environmental opportunities and professional resources. Stop on by!

Teaching
I have taught courses at UVM through the Division of Continuing Education.

Specific courses include:
Exploring Nature Writing - Fall and Spring 1998
Knowing Place: Painting, Writing and Ecological Perception (co-taught with Cameron Davis) - Spring 1999
Knowing Place, Writing Home - Spring 2000, 2001, 2002
Writing Home - Spring 2004
Writing Shelburne Farms - Summer 2004, 2005, 2006

Feel free to contact me at egetchel@uvm.edu with any questions you may have. I'm here full-time and would be happy to help in any way I can.

Last modified August 09 2012 07:48 PM