Office of Professional Studies and Continuing Education
Contact: Mark DeMoranville at 401-228-7930 or markd@apeiron.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2013
RIC to Offer Summer Experiential Learning Program in Sustainability in Partnership with the Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living
Rhode Island College’s new Sustainable Systems Initiative will be offered this summer in partnership with the Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living. The program is designed for both undergraduate and graduate students and combines the study of sustainability with experiential and service learning in a variety of developing green enterprise sectors in the Rhode Island economy.
Students will explore Rhode Island’s local food system; the sustainable energy industry; green building, rehab, and weatherization worksites; and the Apeiron Institute’s Center for Sustainable Living. The program will introduce students to systems theory, sustainability philosophy, social change models and “deep ecology” experiential learning.
“Rhode Island is a perfect setting for this program, with arguably the country’s most successful emerging local food system, and progressive statewide sustainable energy policies, including a top-rated energy efficiency program” says Apeiron’s Mark DeMoranville, co-director of the summer initiative. Students will engage in a number of field trips to multiple partner sites, gaining a fuller understanding of how systems work. Students will also develop the critical thinking and social skills needed for effective cooperative problem solving, which are essential to the emergence of sustainable cultures.
The six-week program will run Monday through Friday, June 3 to July 12. Students can register online at ric.edu/summersessions. The course will carry eight credit hours; RIC standard tuition and fees will apply. Classes will be held at Rhode Island College, with frequent field trips to Apeiron’s Center for Sustainable Living in Coventry, R.I., as well as to various locations around the state to meet with sustainability practitioners and explore their work. On-campus housing is available. Complete program information is available at ric.edu/green.
RIC and Apeiron are creating a unique program of the highest quality, and students should be prepared to make a full commitment to the program for its six-week duration. Students will learn in a cooperative, respectful environment. As the sustainability leaders of tomorrow, they will interact with a range of Rhode Island professionals engaged in this work.
For additional information, contact Mark DeMoranville at 401-228-7930 or via email at markd@apeiron.org.
