Oakton Adds Environmental Studies Concentration
(Aug. 24, 2016) Oakton Community College announces the addition of an environmental studies concentration for fall 2016. The concentration will prepare students for transfer into a variety of majors concerning the environment, such as sustainability; environmental philosophy, law, and policy; environmental art and literature; environmental engineering and chemistry; conservation biology and natural resource management; and environmental journalism.
Oakton Associate Professor of Biology Paul Gulezian, co-coordinator of the concentration, said, “There are numerous current issues affecting the environment such as food scarcity, pollution and climate change. It’s important for students to understand and care about these topics and to be able to communicate about them effectively.”
The 19-semester-hour concentration provides students the opportunity to examine the connections between the environment and the community, both locally and globally. Through a combination of coursework and connected-learning experiences, the program prepares students to address the many environmental challenges being faced today, including matters of public policy, economics and ethics.
Professor of English Marian Staats, co-coordinator of the concentration, said having a humanities aspect to the program makes it unique.
“Narratives are an integral part of environmental study,” she said. “Also, there’s a growing genre of literature out there called cli-fi (climate fiction) that deals with severe changes in weather set in the present or near future.”
The Oakton Educational Foundation provided two grants to spearhead the concentration. A $5,000 grant will be used for restoration equipment such as shears, goggles and gloves, for outdoor work at the Des Plaines campus that will be part of course work. The foundation also bestowed a $2,000 grant for speakers, writers, activists and scientists to visit campus and to talk to students in the program.
The new program aligns with the current strategic plan, “Connecting What Matters.” The college’s commitment to being “green” includes working to preserve and protect natural resources and the planet without compromising future generations.
For more information, contact Gulezian at 847.376.7120, pgulezia@oakton.edu, or Staats at 847.376.7103, mstaats@oakton.edu. Anyone interested in the concentration should visit www.oakton.edu/esc.
