Service Learning
Program Description
This 10-day study abroad program will examine ecological restoration and resource conservation of New Zealand's North Island through an active engagement in service learning projects. New Zealand is at the forefront of restoring degraded habitat by reintroducing native animals and original native flora after removing animal pests. Students will learn about restoration approaches and how they can lead to improvements in biodiversity conservation and carbon offsetting through classroom lectures and field trips. They will then use their knowledge to assist community groups with long-term restoration projects. The course will include an examination of Maori conservation values and culture and how these social aspects influence restoration outputs.
Read the
sample itinerary for this program.
Program Pictures
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Program Objectives
By the end of the program students will:
- Understand the impacts of human actions on natural systems, and human responses to those changes, using the case of New Zealand’s North Island;
- Develop an understanding of conservation actions and restoration approaches used in New Zealand’s North Island;
- Learn about human values through integration into another culture;
- Enhance intellectual/personal maturity and self-confidence through cross-cultural understanding and self-reliance;
- Understand and identify personal strengths and areas for improvement; and
- Be able to explain how the service learning experience enhanced or altered post-graduation plans.
Read the
syllabus for this program.
Eligibility
We encourage students from all majors to apply, as we take an
interdisciplinary perspective to examine global issues in the
conservation of unique wildlife, natural systems, and cultural places.
Students should have a minimum GPA of 2.5 and be in good standing with
their home university or college.
Program Fee
The program fee includes:
-
Transcript
- Accommodation at hostels and motels
- Orientation
- Some meals
- Group activities
- In-country transportation
Additional costs that students are responsible for include:
Top Reasons to Choose this Program
- New Zealand is one of the most geographically diverse
countries in the world with temperate rainforests, glaciers, golden
sand beaches, deep fiords, alpine herb fields, and rugged coastlines.
- You
will spend most of your time out in the field, visiting and
observing New Zealand first-hand. We believe that students learn from
study abroad experiences both in and outside of the classroom.
