Experiential Learning

Transcript

One tenet of a Sarah Lawrence education is experiential learning, or learning by doing. Meet Ishika, a sophomore study environmental science who takes advantage of a very special SLC research facility along the Hudson River to further her studies and to positively impact the local community. The college does an exceptional job of connecting coursework to real world experiences. Tell us more, Ishika.

– Thank you, Alex. My entire life I’ve had a fascination with the natural world. I knew I needed to go to school somewhere that would allow me to engage with the environment and I found that at Sarah Lawrence. At SLC, I’ve learned about climate change, watersheds. and environmental justice, and I’m highly engaged in advocacy work. I co-chair a sustainability club called Grow and I’m a part of a workshop that aims to make the campus more environmentally responsible. The Sarah Lawrence Interdisciplinary Collaborative on the Environment, or SLICE, brings the humanities and the sciences together through coursework and field trips to local environmental organizations. SLICE is the epitome of a Sarah Lawrence education, as it emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary solutions to our biggest ecological challenges, but my favorite thing about SLC is the Center for the Urban River at Beczak or CURB, as we call it. This environmental education and research center is located on the Hudson River and provides volunteer and internship opportunities to SLC students and community members. At CURB, there are many ways to get involved. For me, that means going out into the Hudson to catch aquatic species, and in the spring, counting migrating American eels that we catch and release. My time at CURB has made me realize that these are the kinds of experiences I wanna have for the rest of my life. I’m looking forward to studying sustainability and marine sciences in graduate school, and this kind of experiential learning is preparing me for my future while also allowing me to have fun along the way. Now, back to you, Alex.

– That’s so fascinating, Ishika! Thank you. The opportunity to study an urban river through so many different interdisciplinary lenses is truly a rare thing. An environmental scientist like yourself will certainly be at the forefront of solving many of the world’s complex and evolving challenges. That was great, thank you.