VIRTUAL MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY

Abstract

College students majoring in STEM disciplines consider the environmental and social implications of their work to a lesser degree than non-STEM students. Additionally, the mental health among college students has declined significantly over the last ten years. Research illustrates that having a strong connection to nature can lead to increased environmental stewardship and improved mental health. This paper introduces and assesses a pilot experiential environmental certificate program designed for Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) students. This certificate program, created in collaboration with the World Trails Network Hub for the Americas and the Waterman Fund, uses an experiential framework and integrates nature immersion and stewardship components from existing outdoor and higher education environmental programs. The goal of the program is to facilitate environmental stewardship, and connection to nature, and to provide mindfulness tools to foster good mental health in STEM students. The “Wilderness Ethics Certificate” program was piloted with WPI students over a 7-week period in the fall of 2023 and 2024. The program involves seven components: Leave No Trace training, volunteer work, environmental readings and reflections, guided discussions, mindfulness practices, consideration of Indigenous knowledge, and a solo wilderness hike. Preliminary qualitative analysis of data from student reflections and pre/post surveys offer proof of concept. The data illustrates the benefit of the program on students’ connection to nature, self-reported pro-environmental behavior, and mental health.