Students in Merry Lea’s 2016 Sustainability Leadership Semester completed final presentations in their Faith, Ethics and Eco-Justice course October 13. The assignment challenged them to articulate their key values as they relate to soil, soul and society–a framework students encountered in the book, Rekindling Community by Alastair McIntosh. A visual model was part of each presentation.
“One thing I want to commit to is knowing my neighbors and sharing meals with them,” said Gabby Castanon, a junior nursing major. Her poster featured a spiral with “connected to community” in the center.
Bekah Schrag, also a junior environmental science major, spoke about the importance of humility, which includes both an awareness of being part of larger systems and an understanding of how one’s actions affect that system. She mentioned Mindfully Green by Stephanie Kaza as a helpful influence on her thinking.
Senior environmental science major Jack Schaumberg pondered the importance of individual rights–including the rights of non-humans.
“What is truly an act of bravery is to go into relationships with trust, not walls,” David Leaman-Miller said during his talk.
“These maps are going to be valuable for you as you go into job interviews,” observed Luke Gascho, who teaches this course.
