Sustainable Community Living

One of Berea’s Being and Becoming “learning goals” is to understand the relationship between humans and the natural world. To advance this goal, the College established the multidisciplinary Sustainability and Environmental Studies Program (including an academic minor program) that emphasizes experiential learning and the application of ecological design to the development of sustainable communities. The Ecovillage, an experiment in sustainable living, is part of an on-going program of campus renovation and construction based on ecological design that offers many opportunities for students to participate in the development of a sustainable campus. In addition, the College has restructured its traditional agriculture program into a model Agriculture and Natural Resources Program (including a major and a minor) that focuses on sustainable agriculture and small-scale farming. Through these programs and more, Berea students and faculty explore how current resource needs can be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is a complex question with social, ecological, economic, spiritual, ethical, political, scientific, and technological dimensions that invites the participation of students from nearly every discipline in helping the College to teach and practice sustainability.

• Introduction
• Religious Character
• Service-Learning Opportunities
• Sustainable Community Living
• A Residential College
• International Education Here and There
• Collaborative Undergraduate Research Program
• Student Activities
• Athletic Programs
• Campus Buildings and Spaces
• An Enriching Technological Environment