Created during a time of environmental awakening, the program aimed to integrate ecological understanding, social equity, and innovative teaching. Supported by faculty from several diverse disciplines, it fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration with a shared commitment to environmental stewardship. Originally based in the historic Bittersweet House, the program oversaw a BA and BS in Environmental Studies that could be earned in three different colleges, and managed UVM’s Natural Areas. Over the years, the Environmental Program has remained dedicated to supporting an interdisciplinary approach to education and scholarship, high-impact learning, creative teaching, sustainability values, and its role as a catalyst for change.
Pedagogy and Curriculum
The Environmental Program allowed students to pursue an interdisciplinary education in environmental studies, taking courses from across campus and culminating in a required thesis or research. The Program encouraged students to view natural systems through a broader lens, considering the roles of interrelated elements such as cultures, ethics, and human communities. Faculty encouraged innovative teaching methods, collaboration, and hands-on engagement to prepare students for environmental leadership. Throughout its history, the Program experiential learning as a cornerstone of its approach. From field studies in Vermont’s Natural Areas to international travel course from Belize to the Balkans, students explored real-world environmental problems.
Natural Areas
In 1974, UVM took a leadership role in the state by conserving some of Vermont’s ecological treasures. The establishment of a system of natural areas—ranging from the urban forest of Centennial Woods to the alpine zone of Mount Mansfield—underscored the program's commitment to protecting natural landscapes for education, research, non-human species and future generations. These reserves became living laboratories for students, embodying the values of sustainability and conservation at the heart of UVM's mission.
Action and Activism
Growing concern over global environmental challenges in the late 1900s and early 2000s sparked increased interest in the program, turning it into a platform for promoting and engaging in environmental action and activism. This movement inspired students and faculty to engage in various activities, from participating in climate protests, defending indigenous communities, to spreading knowledge and raising environmental awareness.
As a result, the Environmental Program inspired the creation of numerous initiatives at UVM, including scholarships for environmental research, the Environmental Studies Student Advisory Board, travel study courses, VSTEP (Vermont Student Environmental Program), Slade Hall and the Greenhouse (environmental-themed student dorms), as well as a suite of new majors and student clubs.