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Imagine the PossibilitiesExamples of student created B.A. and M.A. majors:AgroecologyCommunity Development with an Indigenous PerspectiveConservation BiologyConservation Ecology and PlanningEcological EconomicsEnvironmental CommunicationsEnvironmental Education Environmental JusticeFair Trade BusinessMarine Conservation BiologyMountain EcologyNatural History and EcologySocial EcologySustainable Community DevelopmentSustainable Community RedevelopmentSustainable Science and PracticeSustainability EducationWilderness-Based EducationWildlife BiologyWildlife Ecology, Policy, and Management Wildlife Management

Examples of Ph.D. Dissertation Topics:An Exploration of Sustainability Education: Conversations from the Lived

Experiences of Low-Income Community College StudentsContradiction in the Struggle for Economic and Environmental JusticeDeveloping and Evaluating a Landbird Conservation Implementation

StrategyInternational Education and Transformational Learning: Being ThereLiving Thinking for a Culture of TransformationNative Sustainment: The North Fork Mono Tribe's Stories, History, and

Teaching of Its Land and Water Tenure, 1918 – 2009

Creating and Sharing KnowledgeJournal of Sustainability EducationAnnual Sustainability Education Symposium

You can also request information from Prescott College Admissions by email at

admissions@prescott.eduInclude your name, address and if you are interested

in earning a B.A., M.A., or Ph.D.

To speak to an admissions counselor, phone(877) 350-2100 or (928) 350-2100

www.prescott.edu/sustainability-studies

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Prescott College began in the 1950s when leaders of a small town in the stunningly beautiful pine and chaparral country ofcentral Arizona were searching for a new cultural identity. Drawing on the Congregationalist tradition of founding over 50leading colleges and universities in America, beginning with Harvard in 1636 and including other leading colleges and uni-versities such as Middlebury, Dartmouth, Amherst, Smith, Yale, Oberlin, Grinnell, Whitman, Colorado, Pomona, andScripps, Dr. Charles Franklin Parker, minister of Prescott’s First Congregational Church and Prescott College founder,announced an ambitious project of creating the Harvard of the West, Prescott College.

Many of the philosophical and educational principles that form the foundation of Prescott College – designed to producethe leaders needed to solve the world’s growing environmental and social problems – emerged in 1963 in a significant con-ference of state and nationally known leaders from higher education funded by the Ford Foundation’s Fund for PostSecondary Education, Business, and Industry.

In a Changing World . . .Dr. Parker’s vision for “for a pioneering, even radical experiment in higher education”and “to graduate society’s leaders for the 21st Century who would be needed to solvethe world’s growing environmental and social problems” seems especially prescienttoday. Human society is coming to terms with the fight against global warming and itspotential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects. Societyis also looking to new models of education to better prepare students of all ages fortheir role as global citizens.

Making a differencein the World

About Prescott College

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Education Where You Live and WorkPrescott College students complete their coursework wherever they are – in rural communities, small towns and large

metropolitan areas – without interrupting jobs, family life, or connections to their own com-munities. Students live in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and throughout the West, Pacific Northwest andNew England.

Education UnpluggedPrescott College offers three low-residency degree tracks: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Ph.D., and two low-resi-dency Certificate tracks: Post-Bachelor of Arts, and Post-Master of Arts in a wide variety of subject areas – all of whichcater to the adult learner who has already accrued valuable life experience. The average age is 35, and women represent 70percent of total enrollment.

The College’s academic programs are “unplugged” from such conventional practices as the departmentalization of knowl-edge, confining learning to the classroom and textbooks rather than real experience and thinking of college as preparationfor life, rather than life itself. Prescott students learn critical thinking and research and how to apply them to real-life prob-lems and their own passions by living them, testing them out in real time.

At Prescott College the best learning is collaborative, and the best teaching is individual. Education at Prescott College isgrounded in the fundamental idea that the student is in control of her or his learning, and learns best through self-directionand real-life experience. Programs of study at all levels are individualized; no two paths taken by students are identical.

An Emphasis on TeachingStudents are empowered at Prescott College because the faculty view students as co-creators of their educational experi-ence rather than as consumers. Like professors at other distinguished colleges and universities, Prescott College facultyauthor books, publish in prestigious journals, speak at international conferences, and receive competitive grants to supporttheir research and creative work. What distinguishes Prescott College faculty is a commitment to put their students first.While faculty are supported and encouraged to make strides in their fields, they are first and foremost passionate educa-tors, emphasizing teaching over research and other scholarly activities.

Student-Directed LearningEnvision your educational goals, design your course of study, and complete coursework under the guidance of an expert.Faculty and advisors work with each student to co-create an individualized concentration within a degree area. This collab-orative approach ensures valuable learning for teacher and student alike. Students work at their own pace, driven by theirown passions and guided by experts in their chosen fields.

Hybrid Low-Residence/Online Instruction ModelPrescott College’s low-residency programs are unlike any other educational experience. We combine self-directed, individu-ally mentored and online distance education with a limited residency requirement. This approach offers you the opportuni-ty to design a meaningful program which is carried out with the support of faculty and mentors (professionals from yourhome community) who work with you in your chosen field of study.Mentored courses combine tutorial and traditionalindependent study. Students meet weekly with their mentors, at times and locations that are mutually convenient, to dis-cuss material and review progress. Our individually mentored approach to education results in a Student/Faculty ratio of 1to 1. Many core courses are also offered online to small student cohorts by Prescott College core faculty.

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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE

Bachelor of Arts and Fall, Spring, Summer Enrollment

The Bachelor of Arts Degree program is intended for returning adult students who are seeking to advance their undergrad-uate and professional experience, change careers, or engage in advanced academic work for personal or professional gain.Each student pursues an independent study based curriculum in collaboration with Prescott College faculty. The course-work is completed in the student’s home community through the assistance of locally based, qualified mentors.

This flexible structure allows students to maintain their family and work life while they study at a distance. Bachelor of Artsstudents typically bring in one to three years of transferable credit from accredited colleges. The amount of transferablecredits and an estimated time to complete the degree may be established through a pre-admissions transcript review andpreliminary advising session with an admissions counselor.

Credit for Life ExperienceA great deal of academically meaningful learning occurs outside of the classroom, in professional work or in structuredworkshops, seminars, and training. Because many students who enroll in the low-residency Bachelor of Arts program havealready devoted a great deal of time to learning outside of the classroom, Prescott College has established a path for adultlearners to earn college credit through the mechanism of Life Experience Documentation. Students who seek academiccredit for Life Experience enroll in a preparatory course that teaches them how to properly document their prior learningin one of three types of portfolios. Completion of a portfolio is writing intensive and requires the integration of theoreticaland practical knowledge in coherent chapters that observe the editorial style of the American Psychological Association orthe Modern Language Association. All portfolios are evaluated by experts in the student’s field of study.

Above Alumni L-R: Grace Wicks Schlosser ’02, Director of Community Programs at White Dog Café; Andy Millison ’97, M.A. ’02,founder of the Prescott Ecohood; Diana Papoulias ’79, aquaculturalist for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos Orphanage; Jim Knaup ’80,owner Prescott Alternative Transportation; Senator Tom Udall ’70 (D-N.M.); Sekeyian Yiaile M.A. ’08, first Maasai woman from herregion to earn a master’s degree.

Graduating Society’s Leaders for the 21st Century

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SustainableCommunity Development

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Employment and entrepreneurial opportunities continue to expand as the businesssector turns “green” from the inside out. This creates demand for corporate communityrelations professionals and resource managers who can analyze and respond to the needsof ecosystems and human communities. Social service agencies may require sustainablecommunity development visionaries to help them link regional organic farms with alterna-tive shelter designers in order to serve the poor, the infirm, and the elderly in ways thatpreserve the health and dignity of humans and local ecosystems.

Above all, Sustainable Community Development program graduates work with com-munities of all kinds to identify genuine needs and engage participants in inclusive vision-making, forecasting, decision-making, implementing, and appraising sustainable projects.

The Core CurriculumThe Sustainable Community Development Program is designed to prepare students

to plan and implement measures that build and strengthen communities. The programdefines community as humans and all other resident life forms of local ecosystems.Students study the physical environment of their community; the values, practices, andneeds of those who reside there; and the influences of, and access points to, relevant gov-ernment and private enterprises whose activities affect the well-being of the community.Projects are designed to apply information gained in study in addressing real needs in thestudent’s community. Students may focus on rural or urban settings.

The Sustainable Community Development Program consists of four curriculumrealms: the natural history of the region; appropriate technologies; social, spiritual andphilosophical foundations of community; and communication, education and celebrationin the community. The four realms inform the development of the student’s courses.

Natural History of the Region – Course themes include field-based studies of the prox-imate ecosystems, as well as patterns of past and current human habitation and use ofthe land. Courses may include field methods, botany, conservation biology, environ-mental chemistry, physical geography, disturbed-lands ecology, therapeutic use of thewilderness, and resource management.

Appropriate Technologies, Assessment, and the Human Footprint – Courses coverplanning, design, materials, and assessment of means by which food, water, shelter,

The Sustainable Community Development program supportsstudents in manifesting their personal visions of ecologicallyand socially healthy communities. Graduates lead meaningfullives in diverse fields. They work as sustainability educatorsand program leaders in the nonprofit sector, as advisors in theprivate sector, in public lands agencies, and through interna-tional sustainable agriculture projects.

Sustainable Community DevelopmentMentorSusan Horn

Susan Horn, a sustainability-focused real estate developer fromWalton County, Fla., works to buildcommunity while building commu-nities – literally. That’s what led herto become a mentor for PrescottCollege’s Sustainable CommunityDevelopment program.

“I love to share inspiration,ideas, community involvement, andcreativity with people of similarinterests, but it can be lonely, sinceI live in an area where there aren’tmany of my ‘tribe’,” she explains.

“Prescott’s program offers arefreshing opportunity to feed mysoul and perhaps pass on somethinguseful to my students. And, I stillhave time for my ‘real job’!”As a partner in Artisan

Development Group, L.L.C., sheworks closely with her county plan-ning department to develop sustain-able building and landscaping codesto support the “New Urbanist “ prin-ciples of her company. She is a long-time writer and editor with a focuson green business, as well as plan-ning and coordinating events, com-munity outreach, and education thatbring new ideas about green buildingand lifestyles to her community.

“If lectures and classroomschoke your creativity; if tests andbusywork leave you cold; if youhave some ideas you’ve been want-ing to pursue and can’t find a classor curriculum that speaks to them… then Prescott could be a perfectfit for you!”

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transportation, waste-handling, aesthetics, recreation, entertainment, and other dailyliving activities can be carried out in a manner compatible with the needs of naturalliving systems. Courses may include sustainable shelter design, permaculture, natural-systems agriculture, environmental economics, urban or rural planning, hydrology, andalternative-energy sources and systems.

Social, Spiritual, and Philosophical Foundations of Community – Courses addressingthis realm explore the psychological connections among members of a community andits natural environment, the evolution of values and behaviors expressed in the com-munity, and the influences of social and culture groups. Courses may include historyof the community, human ecology, sociobiology, ethics, overview of land and water law,regional and national politics, ecopsychology, comparative beliefs, and consensus- anddecision-making models.

Communication, Education, and Celebration in the Community – Courses coveringthis subject area investigate the means and mechanisms by which members of commu-nities: identify and express challenges; engage in problem solving; learn interactively;assess the worthiness of community efforts; celebrate accomplishments; and preserveand pass on collective wisdom to future generations. Courses may include: small-groupdynamics; community performance and fine arts; research design and application; doc-umentation of community history; and the seasons and rituals of the community.

The following are examples of student competences/majors completed within thepast five years (sample curricula for listed majors can be found beginning on page 58of this catalog). Other Student-Directed Majors can also be supported. ContactAdmissions to find out if your ideal course of study is supported at Prescott College.

Community DevelopmentIntentional Community Development Sustainable Community DevelopmentSustainable Community Redevelopment

Community Development – This interdisciplinary course of study focuses on organiz-ing groups to effect change. Subject areas include program development and manage-ment, asset mapping, advisory board development, and systems management – skillswhich allow one to serve ones’ community in a well-rounded manner.

Intentional Community Development – This curriculum focuses on three elements:systems aiding in the creation of the infrastructure of community; sustainability of thecommunity’s land; and the exploration of the benefits of creative expression on mem-bers of the community.

Sustainable Community Development – The essence of this program allows students tocreate a sustainable community development framework that fits their own communityneeds and goals and is grounded firmly in the four realms.

Sustainable Community Redevelopment – This program explores means by whichhumans can bring balance to a world with finite physical resources even as currenteconomic systems operate counter to the principle that sustainable economic systemsare based on, and reflect, ecological principles.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

MentorSusan Moodie

Person and politics. Nature andnurture. Science and spirituality.Sustainable agriculturist and activistSusan Moodie, Ph.D., integrates adeep love of the natural worldinspired by a youth in ruralAustralia with a remarkable range oftools across disciplines. She’s workedon four continents (and counting) tohelp individuals, communities, andnations develop better relationshipswith the natural world.Susan worked to establish a

groundswell of public projects heal-ing the relationship between humansand the land in her native Australia.These include Landcare, a nationalprogram to restore land and water;Landcare for Kids, a national ele-mentary curriculum for the environ-ment; urban forestry in Melbourne;laws mandating 100 percent taxrefunds on environmental restorationand ensuring landowners managepublic lands as equal partners withgovernment; and expansion ofnational Arbor Day to Arbor Week.Australia now has 4500 Landcaregroups and nine other countries haveadopted the approach.Now in Tucson, Susan is com-

bining Eastern and Westernapproaches to transforming conflictpatterns. She’s integrating yoga, neu-rological feedback, post-traumaticstress release, self-inquiry, psycholo-gy, consciousness and physics, andnutritional methods that supportinternal integration. In response torequests from international organiza-tions to help develop conflict trans-formation programs for Afghans andIraqis, she is adapting these tools tolocal cultures.Susan enjoys the challenge of

helping others to fulfill their person-al missions.“To mentor another is to

understand what is required to fos-ter life … a rich, scarred, deep lifecapable of bringing forth personaltruth and integrity, of holding fastthrough life’s storms,” she asserts. “When we support another to

find and do what is imperative forthem, even the mundane plays anessential and noble part in their life.”

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Alumni

Paper Makes Strong Bricks by Tim Hull

It’s early morning in Tucson’s Dunbar Springsneighborhood, and the anarchists next door are stillasleep. The sun is heating up the found-object metalartwork in the streets, and I’m standing by as VincentPawlowski ’08 mixes up a batch of Papercrete bricks.

The 50-something polymath, a retired biomedicalengineer with a bushy beard and a full storehouse ofcreative energy, is up on a rickety platform in his back-yard working a jury-rigged mixing drill through a barrelfull of water, recycled paper products – junk mail, oldSierra Club calendars, even tossed-away books – andPortland cement. The brew looks and smells like papermaché but when it’s formed into bricks and dried in the

sun it makes strong building blocks that Pawlowski hopes to use to build a little dreamhome on his corner lot.

He is also hoping to perfect a mix of this alternative building material – which hasbeen around for years but is now drawing more interest – that doesn’t use commercial-grade cement, and to teach others how to mix and build with this cheap, energy-effi-cient, and resource-saving material to use the 20 percent of paper products that can’tbe recycled.

Construction costs, he says, work out to about 10 to 30 cents a square foot of inte-rior space, minus labor.

“My personal goal is to start setting up workshops to teach people how to makeit,” he adds. “We need to know this.”

He tells me about how, when he was in college in the mid-70s and the last oil cri-sis was on, he started to get interested in solar power. But his dad died around hissophomore year, and he left school to help his family for a while. When he got back, in1980, he says, “Reagan was in the White House, solar panels were off the roof, and myadvisor said you might want to do something else.”

So he went into another field, but he always had the environmental itch. Aboutthree years ago he went back to school at Prescott College, and now he’s finishing up adegree in Sustainable Community Development.

“Papercrete seems to be a fairly large component of the solution,” he says.Anyone with even a passing familiarity with the components of the average

Sunbelt tract home will recognize the vast gulf between the way things are and the waythey perhaps ought to be. Before the railroad made it possible for us to build Victorianmansions and stick-built tract homes here in the desert, this land was dotted withhomes built of adobe. So it’s not surprising this most ancient of building blocks is thematerial most often likened to the various alternative methods.

But, whether you’re building Papercrete bungalows, lava-rock sandcastles, adobehuts, rammed earth mansions, or whatever other new-time alternative to the sticks,stucco, and air-conditioning-paradigm we’re currently stuck in, there’s a lesson in allthis: things haven’t always been like this; there are better ways of building; and we canalways look backward for what we need to move forward.

Tim Hull is a freelance writer in Tucson, Ariz. Reprinted and abridged courtesy of TucsonGreen Magazine (www.tucsongreenzine.com) and with permission of the author.

AlumniCombating GlobalWarming, One Campus at a Time

Jessica Williams ’08 of Tucsonwas awarded a 2007 CampusEcology Fellowship by theNational Wildlife Federation tosupport work on college campusesconfronting global warming. Jessica used the Fellowship to

focus on reducing carbon emissionsby cutting down on the distancefood travels before reaching theconsumer. She worked to promotefarmers’ markets on college campus-es across the country and advocatedfor local food consumption amongstthe college population.

“I am currently in the processof writing a Best Practices Protocolfor starting a campus farmers’ mar-ket with Gale Welter, the coordina-tor of the farmers’ market throughthe University of Arizona inTucson’s Campus HealthDepartment,” Jessica said of herproject. “We plan on distributingthis protocol to campuses aroundthe country who are interested.”

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

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Alumni

Erin Conlen ’07 Sustainable Community Development

As a Community General Manager for a develop-ment company in Pennsylvania, Erin Conlen works withdevelopers and builders to design sustainable, or“green,” structures.

“Protection of nature and habitat were always dearto my heart, which some would see as a conflict with myjob [in construction]. Most people think you are on oneside or the other; environmentalist or builder. I say, whynot be in the middle?

“Through my studies I continually research ideasthat will enhance what I bring to the table in construc-tion, trying to offer acceptable solutions to both sides.The impact I make may be a small one, but in the end, itbenefits everyone around me.

“I’m often approached with a puzzling question;what is a woman doing in construction? I have found thisis actually where I can make the largest contribution tothe progress of sustainability.”

Melissa Macdougall ’08Sustainable Community Development

When Melissa Macdougall entered the College’sSustainable Community Development program she wascertain she’d spend the rest of her life living in the city.She set out to explore “the connections between naturalhistory and sustainability in an urban setting.” But whenlife took an unexpected turn, she found herself livingwith her new husband on his family’s 700-acre ranch,learning about sustainability as a rural food producer.

“For us, sustainability means providing for ourselvesas much as possible, while respecting and enhancing theintegrity of the land and embracing our ultimate interde-pendence with our neighbors, human and otherwise. Aswe try to reach a high degree of self-sufficiency, we alsoseek to raise awareness in the nearby community aboutthe importance of local farms and ranches. Eventually wemay pursue ranch-to-city marketing and an agriculturaltourism venture.

“We have our work cut out for us, but we’re lucky tolive here and to love what we do.”

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

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Alumni

Susan Frank ’09 Management, Competence in Community Organizing for Sustainability

The title of her Senior Project, From PassionateIdeas to Purposeful Action: Creating Positive Change inCommunity by Accessing Emotion, sums up SusanFrank’s personal mission.

But the most meaningful part of her educationaljourney at Prescott College has been learning about her-self, “in the process of creating and carrying out learningobjectives,” she says.

“I am finding where my limits are in some areas,while discovering where my talents and abilities are inothers... my focus has shifted to be far more in line withmy real passions, and it is affecting many aspects of mylife far beyond the educational.”

Prescott College has helped Susan make valuableconnections in her desired field of employment. In her

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

mentor search she connected with the InterdependentProject, an organization focused on networking intention-al communities, nonprofits, businesses, education institu-tions, and people focused on sustainability.

The Project recently asked her to join their core teamas the Executive Administrator of the InterdependentProject Community Sphere, a social networking platformfor intentional communities.

“My coursework has a direct connection to the help Iam giving them, and the work I am doing with them isconnecting me with projects and communities that areinfluencing my coursework,” she said.

Susan has also become active “in her own backyard,”seeking out opportunities for sustainability in her owncommunity.

“I became interested in my local community’s waterissues through some research I did around rainwater har-vesting in a course last term. My current coursework ingroup dynamics and conflict resolution has inspired meto create a proposal for how to bring the community intodiscussions to work through some of the issues in a pro-ductive and healthy manner.

“I haven’t felt challenged in a long time the way I am

now, and that is a good thing! In this program you can beyour own best friend or your own worst enemy. Itdepends on how disciplined you are and what expecta-tions you have of yourself.

“My goals in returning to school were more thaneducational, and I feel I am very connected to andinvolved in what I am doing with my time on more thanan intellectual level. When I have completed my degree Iwill have created much more than a learning experience.I will have a network of contacts and potential for contin-ued learning that is invaluable to me.”

Environmental Studies

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Ecological Literacy and Natural HistoryInitial courses can include natural history of the stu-

dent’s region, natural history writing and documentation,and indigenous peoples. With this foundation, studentsmay deepen their study with courses in geology or hydro-geology, ecology, field ecology, botany, zoology, and thewider applications of ecological principles, including con-servation biology or restoration ecology.

StewardshipHumans are an inextricable part of nature, and the

study of the natural environment includes psychological,social, and political landscapes. Students are invited toground themselves in courses that explore the humanand natural relationship from societal as well as individ-ual, small group, and community levels. Stewardshipexplores the social contract regarding land use, water,and related natural resource law. It also explores variousstakeholder perspectives, including scientific, policy-mak-ing, and diverse citizen viewpoints.

Interpretation of the Natural Environment andOutreach

Students are encouraged to design classes that allowthem to effectively and memorably communicate theirexplorations to diverse populations. These can includeexamination of the agenda-setting nature of the massmedia, natural history writing, and the use of diversecommunication media. The following examples of student

competences/majors completed within the past five years(sample curricula for listed majors can be found begin-ning on page 58 of this catalog). Other student-directed

majors can also be supported. Contact Admissions to findout if your ideal college major is supported at PrescottCollege.

AgroecologyConservation BiologyEnvironmental BiologyEnvironmental EducationEnvironmental ScienceEnvironmental StudiesMarine Conservation BiologyMarine EcologyNatural History and EcologyWilderness Based EducationWildlife BiologyWildlife Management

Agroecology – This cross-disciplinary field emerging overthe last 20 years bridges the studies of agriculture andecology. While Agroecology is based in the natural sci-ences, the field lends itself to cross-disciplinary studies,for example, ecological economics and environmentalpolitics.

Conservation Biology – Practitioners in this interdiscipli-nary field, which has developed rapidly to respond to aglobal crisis confronting biological diversity, attempt toguide society toward the preservation of organisms, land-scapes, ecological processes, and natural systems, andtoward sustainable management of environmental andevolutionary resources. Firmly grounded in the naturalsciences, this emphasis area also draws upon ethics, his-tory, economics, political science, and other human stud-

The ultimate aim of Prescott College’s Environmental Studies program is to developcompassionate, informed, and responsible citizens who are prepared to offer construc-tive solutions to environmental problems and to help heal damaged relationshipsbetween people and nature. Students are strongly encouraged to spend time in the nat-ural world as their primary classroom, and to focus their learning in three primary areas:Ecological Literacy and Natural History; Stewardship; and Interpretation of the NaturalEnvironment and Outreach.

Environmental Studies

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ies. Students in this field will become competent to con-duct relevant research, make balanced value judgments,and take effective action on behalf of the environment.

Environmental Biology – The field of environmental biol-ogy deals with living organisms, their physical surround-ings, and how humans affect nature. Students study livingorganisms of all sizes, from cells to large mammals,examining structure, function, growth, evolution and dis-tribution. Students develop foundations in biology, ecolo-gy, conservation, natural history, statistics, evolution, cli-mate, and environmental ethics in order to understandlife, diversity, and relationships between organic entities.

Environmental Education – Environmental educationcovers a broad spectrum of disciplines, requiring stu-dents to develop well-defined programs to meet theirparticular interests. Environmental educators mustremember that before people are confronted with thegrim realities of environmental problems, they must begiven opportunities to experience the joy and beauty of

MentorThe Unfolding Story of NatureRobert Hunt ’94, M.A. ’00, Ph.D. ’13

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Prescott College triplealumnus Robert Hunt is a lifelong student – in more waysthan one. “I love watching students grow into each topic, their expec-

tations usually exceeded. I consider every one to be my teacheras well,” he said.A self-described “braggart for nature,” Robert loves the

moment when, “exposed to the workings of natural systems andtheir species, a student’s eyes and heart are forever opened tothe countless, unfolding stories around them.”

Robert’s involved with every level of education at PrescottCollege. Rob enjoys the challenge of making the translation tothe online environment.

“My students still get into the field often, especially if I candesign field exercises well enough to translate into the student’sown bioregion. As time goes by more and more electronic deliv-ery systems will be developed for distance learning,” he said.The trick is to ‘play’ with the system. Use it to your full advan-tage, and when you do not comprehend an aspect of it, ask me.I’ll somehow figure it out with you.” Robert also works as a field biologist conducting surveys

and habitat assessments for threatened and endangered speciesthroughout the Southwest, as field botanist and ornithologist forthe US Forest Service, the US Geological Survey, and theSoutheastern Arizona Bird Observatory. He has published hisresearch in several different publications.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

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the natural world. Responsible stewardship occurs when people develop an appre-ciation for the complex and diverse life that inhabits the Earth.

Environmental Science – This broad field of inquiry encompasses the range of sci-entific disciplines necessary to understand and manage the natural environmentand the many interactions among physical, chemical, and biological componentswithin it. Environmental Science provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdis-ciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.

Environmental Studies – Environmental studies is dedicated to education in natu-ral systems and processes of the Earth and the role of humans who both depend onand influence these systems and processes. Environmental Studies is a broad, inte-grative field that encompasses many disciplines.

Marine Conservation Biology – A relatively new science, marine conservation biol-ogy draws on a diversity of long-standing scientific disciplines, including oceanogra-phy, marine ecology, biogeography, veterinary medicine, zoology, botany, genetics,toxicology, fisheries biology, anthropology, economics, political science, ethics, andlaw. This new, multidisciplinary synthesis aims to protect, restore and sustainmarine biodiversity.

Marine Ecology – This branch of ecology deals with the interdependence of allorganisms living in the ocean, in shallow coastal waters, and on the seashore. Themarine environment for all organisms consists of non-living, abiotic factors and liv-ing, biotic factors.

Natural History and Ecology – Natural History and Ecology explores how natureworks and how organisms and their biotic and abiotic environments interrelate.Grounded in evolutionary principles, the field involves studying individuals andpopulations and how they are assembled into communities and ecosystems. Somestudents within this emphasis area will become naturalists, observing and interpret-ing particular organisms and landscapes. Others may become field ecologists whowill build upon natural history by using the scientific method for examining ques-tions generated by ecological theory. Ecological understanding informs and guidesapplied fields such as agroecology and conservation biology.

Wilderness-Based Education – In this field, students venture into a variety of land-scapes and gain knowledge to understand and interpret wilderness. They study nat-ural history, ecology, geology, leadership methods, and counseling approaches, aswell as a variety of perspectives of the human relationship with nature.

MentorSuzanne Dhruv, M.A. ’05

Suzanne Dhruv, Co-Directorof Ironwood Tree Experience,understands the process of gettingkids involved in nature from bothsides of the desk. In 2005, Suzannereceived a Master of Arts inEnvironmental Studies with anemphasis in EnvironmentalEducation from Prescott College,building upon a Bachelor of Sciencein Ecology and EvolutionaryBiology from the University ofArizona and professional experiencein environmental education pro-grams for youth ages 12 to 18. Since then she’s co-founded,

with her husband Eric Dhruv, TheIronwood Tree Experience, a proj-ect of Prescott College’s Center forChildren and Nature (CCN). TheIronwood Tree Experience operatesfrom the Prescott College TucsonCenter and strives to reconnectteens with their community throughexperiences in nature, including theGreenlots! program which helpsurban teens transform abandonedlots into community gardens andgreen spaces.The Dhruvs collaborate with

college students, professionals, com-munity volunteers, and organiza-tions to design and implement valu-able experiences that allow teens tovoice opinions, share solutions, andtake actions towards environmentaland social change. They’re havingan impact. This past summer, teensworking with CCN’s projectsreceived national recognition fortheir leadership in environmentalstewardship when they were select-ed to participate in the NaturalLeaders Summit hosted by theChildren and Nature Network.

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AlumniCarol Eichert ’09Ecopsychology

“I was deployed as a nurse through the CivilianMedical Service Corps to southeast Louisiana after Katrina.I was so proud as I watched people from all walks of life,civilian, military and government, work together to helpthose affected by the disaster. I knew that I wanted to learnmore about the issues surrounding what I saw, [including]environmental justice, human rights and the effects ofglobal warming. I felt PC would allow me to study thesetopics in depth.

“The intensity of the courses my mentors and I devel-

op is amazing and wonderfully fulfilling. I would like to saythat one course in particular stands out, but instead theycontinue to build on each other. I could not have receivedthis intense an education in a formal college setting.

“My nursing practice allows me to travel to differentareas of the country to work and also explore the ecologyand environmental impact of different industries on thehealth of a community. Since starting with PC I find I amenthusiastic about my profession. I look forward to going towork again. Whether I’m on the border providing humani-tarian aid, or speaking to a group on human rights issues, Ican convey information and my thoughts clearly through anopen and meaningful dialogue.”

AlumniExtreme Weather Hits Home by Mary Lin

John Banta’s ’95approach to disaster pre-paredness in ExtremeWeather Hits Home:Protecting your Buildingsfrom Climate Change(New Society Publishers2007) takes the long viewon disaster, covering allthe bases in constructingand protecting buildingsfrom the worst that naturecan bring. The book deals

with impacts ranging from immediacy of a hurricane or tor-nado to the insidious effects of predicted increased humidi-ty over the next few decades in areas like the Northeast.

I first met John years ago while I was living in a his-toric stone house on a ridgeline overlooking Prescott, aregion that weathered a couple lightning strikes every mon-soon season. John set to work making the house safe forhabitation, and at very little cost – undaunted by the lack ofappropriate grounding mechanisms, and the fact that Islept in a tower bedroom with metal-frame windows infrightening proximity to the nearby utility pole. The trans-former took several direct hits in the six years I lived there,and ball lighting charged through the neighbors’ livingroom, but my house was unaffected.

While it’s sobering to compare the construction of mycurrent two-year-old home in Chino Valley with the idealfeatures John outlines – be prepared to engage in someserious dwelling envy at the description of the timberframe and straw-clay house toward the end of the book –there’s plenty of helpful info for the average homeowner.

Thoughtfully detailed illustrations throughout take thereader from foundation through roofing, with a crucial sec-tion at the end on insurance and financial impacts thateven the most hammer-shy homeowner will find useful.John has over 20 years experience in building biology,building science, and indoor environmental quality. Hepreviously co-authored Prescriptions for a Healthy House.

Reprinted from Transitions

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

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Alumni

Ann-Marie Benz ’09 Watershed Program Coordinator forPrescott Creeks

“This is a second career forme. After spending a decadecrunching numbers for largeconstruction companies, noweven a bad day in the field is agood day in comparison.

“The estimate from theArizona Riparian Council is that90 percent or more of Arizona’sriparian habitats have been lost

or severely degraded. The majority of Arizona’s wildlifedepends on healthy riparian areas. Our work right now isto determine the quality of the creeks, to work on proj-ects that will protect and improve the quality, and to pre-serve the riparian habitats. With a terrific group of volun-teers and a partnership with Prescott College, we are set-ting up a chemical laboratory to monitor nutrients, met-als and bacteria.

“Preserving this habitat is a small but essential pieceof maintaining a sustainable community. This programhas given me the opportunity to connect to my communi-ty ... restoring riparian habitats ... and helping withwildlife rescue and rehabilitation.”

Alumni

Brianna Asbury ’06 Sustainable Community Development

“I studied environmentalscience at another college for afew years, but the curriculumwas really heavy on analysis. Ikept asking myself, ‘what can Ido to make a difference?’”

Brianna found the answer toher question in PrescottCollege’s low-residency B.A.Program, incorporating intern-

ships at the Ecological Engineering Group inMassachusetts and at the World Media Foundation’sradio news show, Living On Earth, heard on NPR sta-tions nationwide.

During her internship with Living on Earth, Asburylearned to write grants and helped develop a podcastprogram that encourages adult listeners to engage incommunity discussions. Post-graduation, she’s beenoffered a job by one of the organizations that she workedwith in the course of her program.

“I’m really pleased with the practical skills I now haveunder my belt,” she said. “Education is so much moremeaningful when you can design your own program.”

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

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ACADEMIC PROCESS

The low-residency Master of Arts Program atPrescott College is ideal for students who wish toadvance their undergraduate or professional experience,change their career track, or engage in advanced academ-ic work for personal or professional gain while remainingin their home communities, without sacrificing personalor professional responsibilities.

With the assistance of experienced Faculty andGraduate Advisors, Master of Arts students create indi-vidualized programs of study that best fulfill their inter-ests and career objectives. The three components of theMaster of Arts program – Theory (coursework),Practicum, and Thesis – are completed through inde-pendent study with the guidance of Graduate Advisors orCourse Instructors. All Master of Arts students also par-ticipate in on- or off-campus residencies that take placetwo times each semester.

The Theory and Practicum components of the Post-Masters Certificate programs are also completed independ-ently. Some Post-Masters Certificates require participationin specially designed intensive workshops in addition toparticipation in the on-campus Colloquia.

The ideal Prescott College graduate student is self-directed, has had prior success with independent learn-ing, is enthusiastic, and can articulate his or her educa-tional goals.

The Master of Arts program is a writing-intensiveexperience for students in all programs. As the majorityof coursework is done through independent study, stu-dents have limited opportunities for oral demonstrationof their learning and knowledge. The program, therefore,relies heavily on written work and Qualifying Papers, theThesis Plan, and the master’s Thesis as the principaldemonstration of the quality and quantity of work com-pleted for the program.

Master of Arts Program

“If you attend Prescott College, be preparedto see the other 99 percent of the world wetend to overlook.”

James Nez ’02, M.A. ’05American Indian Studies with a focus on the Navajo Tribe

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Environmental Studies

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Environmental Studies is a broad field of research that by definition is interdiscipli-nary and solution-oriented. Environmental Studies engages students in discovering andunderstanding Earth’s natural systems, so that they can become effective and responsi-ble stewards of the land.

Since humans both influence and depend on natural systems, EnvironnmentalStudies students put their main focus on the natural sciences, while also learning tounderstand, examine and shape the political, social, ethical, and environmental pat-terns of life. Students design real-life Practica experiences and complete ThesisProjects in collaboration with either regional, national, or international organizations.

Students typically have a solid background in the natural sciences, environmentaladvocacy, environmental education, alternative energies, sustainability studies, conserva-tion biology, or resource management. Applicants who have little or no formal back-ground in those areas may be required to complete foundational coursework.

While each student has the opportunity to design a concentration that fits his or herprofessional needs, the concentrations featured below have crystallized as being centralto the department’s mission and vision.

Concentration in Environmental EducationThis concentration is for traditional and non-traditional educators who wish to help

others develop an understanding of the natural history and ecology of a certain bioregion.Students learn about place-based and experiential education models used to enhance eco-logical literacy, and the public’s awareness and appreciation of the natural environment.

Environmental Education students have done their graduate research in various organ-izations and programs: public, private, and charter schools; residential nature centers;adventure-based programs; government agencies; and various public education endeavors.Environmental educators focusing on this concentration should have a foundation in ecolo-gy and natural history, environmental studies, and/or the field of education.

The Environmental Education concentration includes at least four componentsthat can be given varying degrees of emphasis depending on the student’s learningand vocational goals: • Education (learning theories, curriculum design and implementation, experiential

methodology, multicultural issues, and assessment praxis) • Natural sciences (ecology, earth sciences, and natural history) • Human-environment interactions (environmental history and ethics)• Environmental stewardship (ecological conservation and restoration)

Concentration in Conservation Ecology and PlanningThe focus of this concentration is the study and practice of field-based efforts to

protect our planet’s remaining biophysical diversity. Practitioner-scholars with aninterest in such interdisciplinary programs as applied ecology, environmental conser-vation, conservation biology, and/or restoration ecology must be grounded in the nat-ural sciences and understand the sociopolitical context of environmental problems.Students are encouraged to focus on multidimensional conservation, preservation,and restoration issues that integrate ecological science with environmental education,

Environmental Studies

Faculty

Ed Grumbine Environmental Studies Program

Ed Grumbine’s current researchfocuses on ecological conservation inChina and the country’s ecologicaland geopolitical footprints as it re-emerges as a global power. Ed visitsChina every year and maintains anactive publication record on theseissues – all while keeping up his long-standing research interest in wildlandsconservation in the US.In 2009 Ed published papers on

the melting Himalayas, the so-called“Third Pole,” and the cascading effectsof climate change on water, biodiversi-ty and livelihoods in the region, andissues in creating a conservationmovement with Chinese characteris-tics. He presents in the Southwest andin China on conservation-related top-ics, and lobbied for climate legislationon behalf of the Society forConservation Biology in Washington,DC this past October. Grumbine’s new book, Where the

Dragon Meets the Angry River: Natureand Power in the People’s Republic ofChina, is published by Island and isreceiving critical acclaim.Ed has taught in Prescott

College’s On-campus Bachelor of ArtsProgram since 2003 and has workedwith master’s and doctoral studentsover the years. He reports that he is“very excited” to be working headingup the Master of Arts ES program forthe 2009-2010 academic year.

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environmental decision-making processes, and natural resource management. Examples of possible student-designed areas of study:

• Community-based Conservation – improving lives of local people while conservingareas through the creation of national parks or wildlife refuges.

• Riparian and Wetland Ecology and Restoration – renewing a degraded, damaged, ordestroyed ecosystem through active human intervention.

• Conservation and Environmental Planning – investigating, understanding, and mon-itoring the effects of ecosystem transformation as a result of human activity to pro-pose remediation, management, and conservation measurements, supported withthe results of scientific research to mitigate, reconcile, and turn productive activitiesinto sustainable activities.

• Landscape and Ecosystem Ecology – emphasizes the interaction between spatialpattern and ecological process – that is, the causes and consequences of spatial het-erogeneity across a range of scales.

• Wilderness and Protected-area Management – the study of wilderness especially dedi-cated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and asso-ciated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means.

Concentration in Social EcologySee feature article about the innovative partnership between Prescott College and

the Institute for Social Ecology on page 36 of this catalog.

Concentration in Sustainability Science and PracticePerhaps the greatest challenge facing us in the 21st century is to learn how we can

transform human civilization to reflect patterns of sustainability naturally occurring onEarth. A tremendous community-based response has already begun to unfold in a way thatspans the disciplines and integrates physical and natural sciences as well as the humanities.

Sustainability is nothing new at Prescott College, which for over forty years has led theway in experiential education programs focused on issues relating to sustainability.

Prescott College’s Low-Residency Master of Arts program was designed to give stu-dents the opportunity to design their own program for studying sustainability from with-in their own community. This unique style of experiential education helps students com-bine scholarly research, appreciative and critical inquiry, and collaborative learning.

Students are encouraged to draw from theory-based courses while working on practicalapplications of their learning in an organization, community, or ecosystem of their choice.This is important for students of sustainability because local communities are increasingly inneed of information, tools, skills, and leadership for creating a sustainable future.

Examples of Student-Designed ConcentrationsEcological Economics – a transdisciplinary field of study that addresses the interdepend-ence and co-evolution of human economies and natural ecosystems over time and space.

Sustainable Community Development – an interdisciplinary area of study that moves ustowards a quality of life that secures the created human community in cooperation withlocal ecosystems and native life forms.

Agroecology – the study of the role of agriculture in the world. Agroecology provides aninterdisciplinary framework with which to study the activity of agriculture.

Environmental Management and Planning – the planning and management of interac-tion by modern human societies with, and impact upon, the environment.

Environmental Justice – seeks to redress inequitable distributions of environmental bur-dens (pollution, industrial facilities, crime, etc.), and equitably distribute access to envi-ronmental goods such as nutritious food, clean air and water, parks, recreation, healthcare, education, transportation, safe jobs, etc.

Prescott College and the TetonScience School

The Teton Science School (TSS),a residential environmental centerlocated in Grand Teton National Parknear Jackson Hole, Wyo., offers ayear-long graduate program for aselect community of students in place-based teaching, field science, and out-door leadership. This innovative program inte-

grates academic coursework with anintensive mentored teachingpracticum. The 50-week experientialprogram encompasses a uniquebreadth of courses, such as communityecology of the greater Yellowstone geo-ecosystem, teaching in a winter envi-ronment, and advanced instructionalstrategies. TSS students are also regu-larly exposed to visiting scholars andwriters. Through a collaborative agree-

ment between the low-residencyMaster of Arts program and the TSSGraduate Program, TSS graduates areable to transfer up to 15 creditstoward a master’s from PrescottCollege in either EnvironmentalStudies or Education.

Partnership with the Gore RangeNatural Science School

The multi-faceted Fellowship inNatural Science Education is a full-time, 15-month professional develop-ment program focusing on field andclassroom science instruction foryouth. In conjunction with theirteaching responsibilities, Fellows par-ticipate in graduate level environmen-tal education courses. Prescott Collegewill accept up to 15 semester creditsin transfer from the Graduate Fellowsprogram from the Gore RangeNatural Science School. Students mustpurse a major in EnvironmentalStudies or Education from PrescottCollege to qualify.

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Institute for Social Ecology Students pursuing degrees in Environmental Studies and

Humanities have the opportunity to work with faculty mem-bers from the Institute for Social Ecology (ISE) and partici-pate in the Institute’s activities as a part of their program.Students attend the Colloquia along with their ISEAdvisors and also have the opportunity to participate in col-loquia, conferences, and courses offered by ISE, incorpo-rating these activities into their studies.

“My decision to pursue a master’s degree inSocial Ecology is all I’d hoped for, a unique, chal-lenging, and incredibly rewarding academic expe-rience, and an opportunity to inspire and informmy ongoing activism. I can’t imagine a morestimulating and enriching environment to developas a scholar-activist than the one provided by theInstitute for Social Ecology and Prescott College.”

Karl Hardy M.A. ’08

Study plans can incorporate key works in the philosophy,science, politics, and praxis of social ecology, which have beencentral to ISE’s own curricula over the past three decades.

Historically, social ecology has pioneered explorations ofecological approaches to food production, alternative tech-nologies, and urban design, and articulated an ecologically-grounded political and philosophical outlook. The Institutehas played an essential, catalytic role in movements challeng-ing global injustices and a variety of unsustainable technolo-gies, offering participatory, community-based alternatives.The Institute strives to be an agent of social transformation,demonstrating the skills, ideas and relationships that can nur-ture vibrant, self-governed, healthy communities.

A nominal $150 extra charge is in place per semesterin order to work with an ISE faculty member.

Examples for student-designed Social Ecology coursework• Fundamentals of Social Ecology• Themes in Environmental Justice• The Ecology of Genocide in Darfur, Sudan • Social Movements: Theory and Practice • Water Privatization and Poverty • Natural Building Methods for Cold Climates • Ecological Resistance Movements • Studies of Internalized Hierarchy and Domination • Bioregional Agriculture and Permaculture Design • Ecological Impacts of War • Feminist Science and Epistemology

Prairie Pathway: Creating a Great Plains Wildlife Corridor

Although she is an avid environmentalist, ChristinaCaswell M.A.’11 never thought she would take on a proj-ect as ambitious as the one she’s doing now. For her mas-ter’s degree, Christina is laying the groundwork for awildlife corridor through the Great Plains. It’s a projectshe believes she would not have done without theencouragement to “follow her dreams” she received atPrescott College.

“The free-thinking, self-designed program ... real-ly teaches you how to think for yourself anddevelop your own personal goals.”

Humans produce barriers – fences, highways, cities,waterways – that bisect habitats, impede migration, andcause a wealth of problems for wildlife.

Christina’s work builds on volunteering she’s done forthe Wildlife Land Trust since 2005. She visits wildlife pre-serves, documenting violations as well as the condition offencing, land health, and wildlife.

“I try to make a positive difference everyday by mini-mizing my impact upon the Earth and enriching others’lives (wildlife and people) in ways that I can,” she explains.“This personal philosophy is taking me on a journey to pre-serve connected areas of the Great Plains for the genera-tions that follow. My Prescott College Thesis directly isconnected to my personal convictions.”

Although originally attracted to the self-directed natureof the program, as she learned “how environmentally con-scientious Prescott is, I knew that this was the right placefor me,” she said.

“My studies flow easily around home, work, and familylife. The free-thinking, self-designed program ... teachesyou how to think for yourself and develop your own per-sonal goals.”

“As I browsed the College website and saw howenvironmentally conscientious Prescott is, I knewthat this was the right place for me.”

Student

Christina L. Caswell, M.A. ’11Environmental Education

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Prescott College offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) inEducation with a concentration in Sustainability Education.Sustainability Education focuses on local, bioregional andglobal citizenship and promotes environmental responsibility.This low-residency, four-year program combines expansiveinterdisciplinary inquiry with intense individual research andpractice. The Prescott College Ph.D. Program follows acohort-based learning model with ongoing dialogue betweenstudents and faculty. Seven cohort symposia and colloquiaprovide opportunities for collaboration, interdisciplinarylearning, presentation, research, and teaching about topicsand issues related to the doctoral students’ programs of study.

This highly selective, innovative and forward-thinkingprogram is primarily designed for: educators, and communityleaders and activists; educational or administrative and staffinvolved with government and non-government organiza-tions; and people working in related fields. Prospective doc-toral students should have significant experience in their pro-posed individual focus areas. This life and work experiencemay include educational administration, teaching, research,consulting, business, design and program development, com-munications, community development, advocacy, policydevelopment and analysis, or other possibilities. ThePh.D.Program is well poised to meet the learning needs of learnerswith emergent ideas, designs and program developments.

Individualized Areas of StudyWithin the central theme of sustainability education, stu-

dents create individualized proposals for formal courseworkand a practicum based on an educational vision. Ph.D. stu-dents undertake an action-oriented dissertation, demonstrat-ing scholarship and its application in the sustainability educa-tion niche.

“The Ph.D. program in Sustainability Educationis best suited for students seeking a different kindof doctoral experience; one that is collegial,action-oriented, and student-directed.”

Rick Medrick, Ed.D., Director and Faculty Ph.D. Program in Sustainability Education

How the Program WorksDoctoral students complete the program in four phas-

es over a minimum of four years. There is a maximum timelimit of seven years from the date of entry to completion ofall degree requirements, including the dissertation/project,and a minimum of ninety-six semester-hour credits beyondthe master’s degree.

Phase One: Foundational CoursesThe first phase of the program is devoted to participating

in foundational courses facilitated, in part, via an online learn-ing environment by the Ph.D. faculty. Interdisciplinary andexploratory, this coursework is designed to help studentsdevelop a broad understanding of sustainability educationand prepare for more specialized studies. During this firstphase, students refine and revise their overall program studyplan and create personal learning plans for their focus areas.• Sustainability Theory and Practice for Education • Modes of Scholarly Inquiry: Interdisciplinary Graduate

Research Design• Sustainability Education and Transformational Change

Phase Two: Individualized LearningDuring the second phase, students participate in a planned,individualized program of learning that reflects their per-sonal, academic, and specialized orientations. With supportfrom faculty members, staff, and their cohort, studentsdesign independent study theory courses supervised byDoctoral Mentors.

Examples of Student-Designed Courses• Foodways and Foodsheds in the Mojave Desert

Bioregion• Media Ecology: Exploring the Content, Frames and

Filters• A Socially Just Housing? The Social Movements

Trajectory in Los Angeles • Buddhism, Mindful Learning and Nature

Conservation: Lessons from Thailand• Community-Based Research for Food Sustainability• Philosophy of Religion, Conflict Resolution, and

“I selected Prescott College over other Ph.D. programs because of the conceptual and ethical framing withregard to sustainability. The College takes a stand on sustainability and doesn’t try to pretend that thisconcept is value-neutral. I also selected Prescott because the program would allow me to continue to workat my college and live in my community. I’m too far along in my career to want to give these things up.”

Tina Evans, Associate Professor, General Studies, and Chair, Environmental Studies, Fort Lewis College

The Ph.D. in Sustainability Education

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

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Peace-building• Indigenous Perspectives and Sustainability Education

for Higher Education• Green Building Education I: A critical inquiry and

comparative analysis of existing green building pro-grams in North America, Europe, and beyond

Phase Three: Research Methodologies andMethods, Practicum, and Dissertation/ProjectProposal

The third phase is organized around four major learn-ing projects: intensive study of Research Methodologiesand Methods, the Practicum, and the Dissertation/ProjectProposal. Each student designs and/or participates in atleast one Research Methodologies and Methods course(which may be done in the second phase) relevant to theindividual focus area and dissertation/project.

Each student also creates and/or participates in one ormore Practica that have been approved by the DoctoralCommittee. The emphasis of this project is on providingservice through action research to a community and learn-ing from the experience. Finally, for the Dissertation/Project Proposal, the student chooses a topic, poses chal-lenging research questions, conducts an applicable litera-ture review, constructs a conceptual/theoretical framework,proposes appropriate research methodologies/methods, anddescribes the applied or action-oriented aspect of the dis-sertation/project.

The Dissertation/Project Proposal is presented to thePrescott College community during a colloquium. Thesethird phase projects demonstrate the student’s ability andreadiness to begin the dissertation/project, and the stu-dent advances to candidacy when these learning projectsare complete and the Dissertation/Project Proposal hasbeen approved by the full Doctoral Committee.

Phase Four: Doctoral Dissertation/ProjectThe fourth phase is devoted to the implementation and

completion of the Doctoral Dissertation/Project, which con-sists of two separate but closely interrelated components.One component is a traditional dissertation that provides doc-umentation of rigorous scholarship and research methodologythat supports the project. The other component is the projectwhich is a practical application of the student’s expertise in an

individual focus area. Through this process, the studentlearns how to frame and solve problems in a scholarly fash-ion, considers multiple perspectives on a subject matter, artic-ulates the context of the study, reveals an academic under-standing of the project’s boundaries, and demonstrates theability to apply research to “real world” problems. The laststeps in the process are final evaluation/approval of the dis-sertation/project by the student’s full Doctoral Committeeand a presentation to the Prescott College community at thelast colloquium usually held in May or June. The successfuldissertation/project demonstrates the student’s ability to be aneffective, reflective, and passionate scholar/practitioner.Examples of Dissertation TopicsDesigning a Economy of Sustainable Tourism in CroatiaEducation Law and Cross-cultural PoliciesLifeways of the Graduates of the Sustainable CommunityDesigning a Sustainable Foodshed in the Mojave Desert

in CaliforniaCan Waste Equal Food? Participatory Action Research on

Consumption and Waste in a Community on ColoradoPolicy and Practice of Regional Bird Conservation in

Klamath BasinFair Trade in ThailandTransformational Education in Indigenous Cultures

Annual Sustainability Education SymposiumPrograms across Prescott College collaborated this

Spring to present the College’s Second Annual SustainabilityEducation Symposium. All sessions in this exciting serieswere open to the public free of charge. The list of speakersincluded renowned experts Gibrán Rivera, Dr. Devon Peña,Sandy Grande and Andres Edwards. Prescott CollegeFaculty, students, and others from the field of Sustainabilityhosted poster sessions, dissertation presentations, panel dis-cussions, and seminars throughout the week.

Examples of the dissertation topics presented by thePh.D. students:• Native Sustainment: The North Fork Mono Tribe's

Stories, History, and Teaching of Its Land and WaterTenure, 1918 – 2009

• International Education and TransformationalLearning: Being There

• An Exploration of Sustainability Education:Conversations from the Lived Experiences of Low-Income Community College Students

• Developing and Evaluating a Landbird ConservationImplementation Strategy

• Living Thinking for a Culture of TransformationWrestling with Sustainability: Convergence and

• Contradiction in the Struggle for Economic andEnvironmental Justice

“A frequently asked question is whether one’s jobcan be considered as an acceptable practicum. It isoften ideal to use one’s work-site for a practicum –as long as it is based on the student’s learning in thedoctoral program, provides new challenges, andrepresents a stretch for the student. In other words,business-as-usual is not sufficient.”

Rick Medrick, Ed.D. Director and Faculty Ph.D. Program in Sustainability Education

Environmental Health is a Human Right Adam Zemans

When AdamZemans first movedto Bolivia 16 yearsago, he found himselfliving on a mountainamong adobe houses.His drinking waterwas trucked in fromelsewhere. He con-tracted three environ-mental illnesses atthe same time from,he later discovered,contaminated water,“I decided to startEnvironment Las

Americas, an environmental health education-advocacyorganization,” he said.

The organization, founded in 2004, uses “IntegralSustainability Education (ISE)” to empower the next genera-tion of leaders to think and act holistically about the interde-pendence between their internal and external environments.

Recently, Environment Las Americas developed andsuccessfully lobbied for five key changes in the new BolivianConstitution, with a $1,000 budget, a two-month timeline, anoutstanding US student volunteer and 3 part-time Bolivianlawyers. “This shows the effect a few committed environmen-talists can have in countries like Bolivia and what they can gohome feeling they accomplished,” Adam said.

The changes include rights to bring suit for groups whoare not directly affected by environmental harm, for potentialfuture harm, without a statute of limitations and with directappeal possibilities to the court of highest instance. “In theold Bolivian constitutions, the word, “environment” did notexist. We truly were part of a revolution!” he said.

Although Adam originally attended law school toadvance his degree in human rights, he now believes envi-ronmental health is the most important human right. “Mylong term goal is simple – I want to see real sustainabilityin the world,” he said. “Now we need to focus beyond localactivism, no matter what kind of environmentalists we are.We must put carbon dioxide and methane poisoning, aka,global climate change, at the top of their list of priorities.”

Adam’s Prescott College Ph.D. dissertation, “IntegralEnvironmental Health Defense: A New Model forEnvironmental Activism,” will document work he is doingtowards holistic environmental health justice, in what he calls“one of the most marginalized countries in the world.” Hehopes to teach environmentalists from “one of the most privi-

leged countries on earth, the US,” to become more commit-ted and analytically stronger environmental leaders.

“Beginning my Ph.D. studies at Prescott Collegemarked an end of an old mask that I had worn for a longtime, as a Georgetown lawyer. The processes that wererequired to arrive at and apply to Prescott helped me tobecome a soul more grounded in authentic self.”

As a Prescott College scholarship recipient, Adamnoted that he’s designed his studies around building thecore programs of Environment Las Americas. “PrescottCollege Ph.D. studies put an intellectual frame on all ofthis work, as well as keeping my family housed and fed,”he said. “In the future, I hope that Prescott College stu-dents will be among those who join us for volunteer,study abroad and research experiences and external fun-ders will assist in the process.”

SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY: STUDENT PROFILE

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The Journal of Sustainability EducationIn May 2010, students and faculty from the Ph.D.

in Sustainability Education program launched the TheJournal of Sustainability Education (JSE). The JSEserves as a forum for academics and practitioners toshare, critique, and promote research, practices, andinitiatives that foster the integration of economic, eco-logical, and social-cultural dimensions of sustainabilitywithin formal and non-formal educational contexts. JSE is a peer-reviewed, open access trans- and

interdisciplinary e-journal. Each issue will includeresearch and practice feature articles, professional andnews reports of projects and initiatives, opinionpieces, announcements of educational and researchopportunities, and book and other media reviews. JSEencourages submissions from educators active in awide variety of settings: public and private K-12schools; higher education; early childhood education;environmental, outdoor and experiential education;community organizing and education; residential andnonresidential treatment and therapy programs; aswell as informal and non-traditional educators.

Read the journal at www.journalofsustainabilitye-ducation.org/wordpress.

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Faculty

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Jared Aldern Humanities and Environmental Studies, Core FacultyM.A., History and Environmental Studies, Prescott College, 2002; A.B., Physics (Concentration in Biophysics), Cornell University, 1981.Jared Aldern is an environmental historian, ecological restorationist, and educator living in Central California. Jared draws on archival research, linguis-tic anthropology, literary theory, and oral history, in research focusing on how members of the North Fork Mono Tribe construct historical knowledge,restore meadows in the foothills and higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada, and sustain their water tenure in the watershed of the upper San JoaquinRiver. Jared has developed various indigenous language and ecological field research programs in collaboration with Native American nations and natu-ral resource agencies and has helped to develop community-based curriculum for a number of K-12 school districts. He also served as a Start-upCommittee member and the public school liaison for the Southern California Tribal Digital Village. Jared has taught in elementary schools, high schools,and at several California colleges and universities.

Joel BarnesCoordinator of Graduate Teaching Assistant Program; Environmental Studies and Adventure EducationPh.D., Union Institute & University, Environmental Conservation and Education, 2005; M.S., California State University at Humboldt, Natural Resource Studies inWilderness and Water Resource Management, 1991; B.A., Prescott College, Environmental Sciences and Education, 1981.Joel has designed and taught a number of college-level interdisciplinary field programs across the Colorado Plateau and Mexico, Latin America, Alaska,and New Zealand. Joel’s professional interests emphasize the integration of environmental studies and adventure education with backcountry travel andbioregional explorations. Joel’s doctoral studies had him conducting research in the Grand Canyon National Park to support Wild and Scenic River des-ignation for the Colorado River and its tributaries.

“Through teaching and advising I encourage students to wrap their education around their passions and run with it. I feel lucky to be part of anacademic community that encourages this approach to learning.”

Joan Clingan Associate Dean for Graduate Studies; Humanities and Sustainability Education Ph.D., 20th Century US Literature and Culture, Union Institute & University, 2008; M.A., Applied Psychology, University of Santa Monica, 1992. Joan teaches in Prescott College’s Ph.D. and master’s Programs. Her research design courses cover a breadth of methods and methodologies, with a par-ticular focus on justice, action, and community-based research. Her literature courses examine social and ecological justice and their interconnections,and explore them within the very large conceptual framing of sustainability.

Her personal research uses 20th century US literature to examine issues of supremacism, marginalization, and oppression, as well as considerationof, and action toward change, justice, and sustainability. Joan’s dissertation, “Who is We?: Toward a Theory of Solidarity; Toward a Future ofSustainability,” develops a critical theory based on the philosophies and practices of solidarity and sustainability. Her master’s work concentrated on spiri-tual psychology and her undergraduate work on literature, creative writing, and social justice.

She has been a member of the graduate faculty since 1999, when she took on the role she held through 2009 of Chair of the Humanities Master ofArts program.

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Ed Grumbine Environmental Studies, Core FacultyPh.D., Environmental Policy, The Union Institute, 1991; M.S., University of Montana, 1982; B.A., Antioch College, 1976.Before coming to Prescott, Ed directed the Sierra Institute Wildlands Studies program at the University of California at Santa Cruz, for 21 years. Muchof his professional work focuses on bringing conservation biology principles into federal land management practice. Ed’s writings include Ghost Bears:Exploring the Biodiversity Crisis; and Environmental Policy and Biodiversity, among numerous other publications. Ed is also an affiliate faculty memberfor the College’s Ph.D. Program and teaches environmental studies in the On-campus Bachelor of Arts Program.

Pramod Parajuli Sustainability Education, Chair; Director of Program Development in Sustainability EducationPh.D., International Development Education, Stanford University, 1990; M.A., Anthropology, Stanford University, 1989; B. Law, Tribhuvan University (Kathmandu,Nepal), 1976; M.Ed., Education, Tribhuvan University, 1976; B.Ed., Education, Tribhuvan University, 1974. Born in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, Pramod brings to Prescott almost 30 years of interdisciplinary scholarship, activist passion, and cutting-edgepedagogical innovations. A whole systems thinker and a permaculture practitioner, he is interested in nothing less than the four Ls: life, livelihoods,learning, and leadership. He envelopes all four Ls within the emergent fields of sustainability, social justice, and bio-cultural diversity.

At Prescott College, he is incubating several new innovations that could build on its forty years of accomplishments and seek new heights and hori-zons. He sees rich potential in creating bioregional learning community Hubs for Prescott students, alumni and Mentors in each bioregion. In the longrun, he is also imagining the Prescott College community being fully engaged in the restoration and regeneration of water and food systems in theColorado Plateau.

Rick MedrickDirector and Faculty, Ph.D. Program in Sustainability EducationEd.D., University of Northern Colorado, Humanistic Psychology and Experiential Education, 1985; University of Colorado, graduatestudies in Philosophy, Psychology and Organizational Development, 1963-73; B.A., Dartmouth College, Philosophy and Literature, 1963.Rick has been an adventure guide and experiential educator with a special interest in personal transformation, deep ecology, and ecopsycholo-gy. He is the founder/director of Colorado-based Outdoor Leadership Training Seminars (OLTS), an Outward Bound director, professionalmountain guide, ski instructor, and river outfitter. The role of the educator is one of mentoring, coaching and facilitating a lifelong learningcommitment that engages students at the deepest level of their social, ecological, mental, emotional physical and spiritual being. This processrecognizes the potential of each person to change and help create a society that honors our interdependence with the natural world and ourresponsibility for its wellbeing. Rick believes that the challenge for educators is to develop programs and processes to help students becomeagents of change for a sustainable future.

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James Pittman Environmental Studies, Core FacultyM.S. with distinction, Ecological Economics, University of Edinburgh, 2004; M.A., Whole Systems Design, 2001Antioch University Seattle,; B.A., Ecopsychology, Educationand Sustainability, Prescott College, 1997.James Pittman focuses on the Concentration in Sustainability Science, and Practice and is a resource consultant for the College’s Ph.D. program inSustainability Education. He is also the Managing Director of a leading ecological economics think-tank and consultancy, the non-profit EarthEconomics in Seattle, serving public and private sector clients with a focus on ecosystem service modeling, sustainability indicator assessment, andstakeholder engagement facilitation.

James has been a sustainability consultant, serving as a consultant to the President’s Council on Sustainable Development; the USDA ForestService; the US Department of Energy; the City of Washington, DC; the Washington State Department of Ecology; the EcoSage Corporation, aFortune 50 software corporation, as well as various other agencies, corporations, nonprofits and public utilities.

Peter Sherman Environmental Studies, ChairPh.D., Behavioral Ecology and Tropical Community Ecology & Conservation, School of Natural Resources & Environment University of Michigan, 1997; MA, Biology,Physiological Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, State University of New York at Binghamton (now Binghamton University), 1992; BA, Microbiology, Oberlin College, 1986.Trained as a systems ecologist, Peter studies the world's most complex and sustainably functioning ecosystem: the tropical lowland rainforest and howanimals influence plant species diversities. Recently, Peter has begun to apply his system's level understanding of nature's most complex and sustainably-functioning ecosytem to the business and industrial sectors.

Terril L. ShorbLiberal Arts Core Faculty, PrescottPh.D., Sustainability Education, Prescott College, 2009; M.A., Interdisciplinary Studies, Sonoma State University, 1992; Journalism Certificate, Sonoma State University,1990; B.A., Communication Studies, Sonoma State University, 1990Terril is the founder and coordinator of Prescott College’s Sustainable Community Development Program. He is a widely published photojournalist and withhis wife, Yvette A. Schnoeker-Shorb, is the publisher of Native West Press, which has now issued four natural history books. Terril recently completed his doc-toral studies in Sustainability Education at Prescott College.

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Melanie WetzelEnvironmental Studies, Core FacultyPh.D., Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University, 1990; M.S., Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, 1980; M.A., Geography, University of Illinois atUrbana-Champaign, 1978.Doctor Wetzel conducts international and regional research in climate-scale environmental processes, satellite observations, renewable energy applica-tions, and curriculum development for atmospheric monitoring. Her teaching background includes several university courses at the undergraduate, mas-ter’s and Ph.D. levels, in topics that provide an integrated approach to atmospheric science, geography, physics, and environmental impacts. Her out-reach initiatives have engaged audiences from middle school to college instructors, and her curriculum design projects created experiential learning fieldcourses, computer-based instructional modules, and professional training workshops for faculty and agency scientists. Melanie served as Director of theAtmospheric Sciences graduate degree program at University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and spearheaded the development of a new undergraduatedegree in that discipline at UNR.

Robert ZiembaEnvironmental Studies, Cory FacultyPh.D., Biology, Arizona State University, 1998; B.A., Biology, specialization in Marine Science, Boston University, 1992.Robert is a broadly trained biologist with experience in laboratory and filed research on aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates. Prior to joining PrescottCollege, he taught ecology and evolutionary courses for eight years at Centre College, including: Conservation Biology, Human Ecology, and TropicalEcology. Robert’s teaching interests include all levels of organization in life, from molecular to ecosystem and global system, with particular focus oninteractions between science and society.

At Centre College, Robert designed several environmental courses in the context of international experiential learning, including Tropical Ecologytaught on the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas. He also acted as Director for the Centre College study abroad program in Merida, Mexico. Since2001, Robert has been a leader in the Kentucky River Watershed Watch environmental advocacy group. He has also served as Chair of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Infrastructure Hearing Board, responsible for hearing appeals to civil citations related to storm water pollution.

Prescott College founder Dr. Franklin Parker’s vision “for a pioneering, even radical, experiment in higher education” and “to graduate society’s leaders for the 21st century whowould be needed to solve the world’s growing environmental and social problems” seemsespecially prescient today. Human society is coming to terms with the fight against globalwarming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecologicaleffects, and our society looks to new models of education to better prepare students fortheir role as global citizens.

Prescott College is foremost, “for the liberal arts, the environment and social responsibility.”Everything we do and plan and dream is embodied in that phrase. We are dedicated to fostering a passion for learning,

empathy for ethical, environmental, and social issues, and an appreciation for diverse perspectives. We believe that through

service to others, we can foster compassion, and that by understanding issues of ecological sustainability, we can develop

the skills necessary to both appreciate and protect the environment.

Graduate Society’s Leadersfor the 21st Century

Intrigued? Care about the environment, sustainability and social responsibility?

Passionate about charting your own course?Would you like to learn more?

You can also request information from Prescott College Admissions by email atadmissions@prescott.edu

To speak to an admissions counselor, phone(877) 350-2100 or (928) 350-2100

www.prescott.edu/sustainability-studies

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Prescott College Admissions Office220 Grove Avenue • Prescott, AZ 86301

(877) 350-2100 • (928) 350-2100Fax (928) 776-5242

admissions@prescott.eduwww.prescott.edu

Prescott College Earns High MarksNational media, ratings, and rankings list Prescott College among best and greenest.

US News and World Report: Best in the West US News and World Report has rated the College as a “Best in the West” College and in their list of best colleges in the U.S.

Princeton Review: One of Best in NationThis past spring the Princeton Review added Prescott to its annual book announcing the best 300-plus colleges in the nation.Prescott College earned high marks in ten categories, ranking in the top ten in Gay Community Accepted, Class DiscussionsEncouraged, Lots of Race and Class Interaction, and 11th and 12th, respectively, in the categories Professors Get High Marksand Happiest Students. Last year the Review also selected Prescott as one of 165 schools profiled in America’s Best ValueColleges, 2008, and for several years has named the College as one of 123 schools in 15 states as “Best in the West.”

New York Times: Green EducationThe New York Times noted Prescott College’s environmental focus in three articles, including a piece on Eco-Education and another which highlighted the College’s trademark Wilderness Orientation (“Outside the Box”) in November 2007, and a July2008 article on sustainability in higher education.

Sierra MagazineIn a November/December 2007 article calling the environment “the hottest thing since coed dorms,” Sierra includedPrescott College, as an Eco League member, in an article on the top ten greenest campuses in the US, noting an “emphasison environmental learning and hands-on experience.” In its September/October 2008 issue Sierra lauded Prescott Collegeand the other Eco League schools for “active pursuit of environmental studies” and “integrating experiential learning intothe curriculum.”

National Wildlife FederationThe NWF’s 2008 Campus Ecology Report honored Prescott for having recruiting programs and offering interdisciplinarydegrees in environmental or sustainability studies.

Arizona Department of EducationThe Arizona Department of Education reported that the Prescott College Teacher Ed Certification Programs at all levels ofstudy clearly meet, and in many categories exceed, state certification requirements.

Sunset Magazine: Youthful PulseAn article in Sunset on dream towns credits Prescott College with providing the “youthful pulse” of the city – quite a credit,considering Prescott is included on dozens of lists and rankings as among the best places to live in the US.

Prescott College Tucson Center2233 E. Speedway Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85719(520) 319-9868(888) 797-4680