Living and Learning Programs
The University of Maryland's Living and Learning Programs are unique programs that integrate academics into student living space. Students have the opportunity to live in the same residence hall as fellow members of their Living and Learning Program, forging friendships while simultaneously exploring academic interests. Living and Learning Programs cover areas ranging from engineering to creative writing, and many programs involve a central research activity or project. Completing a sustainability project in a Living and Learning Program can be a great complement to a sustainability-related major or a chance to pursue these issues while focusing on other fields in the classroom. Here are some examples of sustainability projects undertaken by students in Living and Learning Programs:
- Team BREATHE in the Gemstone Program is researching plant types that can be used in biowalls to improve indoor air quality.
- Students from the Environment, Technology, and Economy Scholars Program received a Sustainability Fund Grant for their project to reduce water used in residence halls.
- Global Communities students can fulfill their Global Experience requirement by joining several environment-themed Alternative Break trips, including the Bahamas: Environmental Conservation and Eco-Tourism trip and the Guatemala: Sustainable Community Development trip.
- A sub-program of the Carillon Communities Living and Learning Program, Once and Future Planet, allows students to live together for one year while exploring environmental issues and completing a community research project.
- The Entreprenuership and Innovation Curriculum includes courses that discuss the environmental and social components of technology and development.
Nearly any Living and Learning Program can support sustainability interests. Talk to your program advisor to figure out how you can incorporate sustainability into your projects.