ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
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The Dordt Difference In Dordt’s environmental studies program you’ll be challenged to follow God’s call to be stewards of his world in both your lifestyle and profession. The program is founded upon the truth that the earth is the Lord’s (Ps. 24:1). He created it (Gen. 1:1), declares it good (Gen. 1:31), knows it intimately (Job 38-41), lovingly sustains it (Matt. 6:25-33), and takes delight in the praise that all of his creation offers (Ps. 148). (see website) If you like hands-on learning, our environmental studies major is for you. • Classroom learning is supplemented by field trips, discussions, lectures, and conference attendance. You will visit national wildlife refuges, windfarms, fossil beds, and more. • Past students designed a restoration plan for a tall grass prairie on campus, and current students learn from and help manage this 20-acre prairie. • The Wilderness Club, a student-led organization, provides opportunities to enjoy the creation and live as Christian environmental stewards. • You will do directed research to apply your knowledge and skills in a concrete project, participate in an internship, or enroll in an off-campus class. • In the capstone Restoration Ecology and Applied Stewardship course, you’ll put what you’ve learned into practice in a project that addresses an environmental challenge or opportunity.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT “The professors in the environmental studies department are easy to approach and always willing to listen. They teach you to face challenges with passion and help you when you struggle. They ensure that your education is diverse and complete. If you want to study the environment with both your mind and heart, then Dordt is a place where your true potential can be reached. “The high standards of Dordt’s environmental studies programs yield a high-quality education. Because of the quality of education I received at Dordt I was able to opt out of eight credit hours of courses that other students in my graduate program were required to take, allowing me to expand my horizons in my first semester of graduate school.” Adam Shirley earned a M.S. in ecosystem management and is currently the executive director of the Mitchell County Conservation Board in Northeast Iowa.