This year, an international teaching team from England and Ireland designed and taught a course called Your Place in the World: Exploring Identity, Sustainability, and AI. This interactive course engaged Scholars in several central questions: Who are you? How does the world around you work? And where do you belong in it?

Engaging pedagogical approaches like photovoice, campus mapping and reflective journals allowed scholars to engage deeply with course content. Scholars participated in activities to learn about the environmental landscape, the ethical use of AI, and navigating belonging in different spaces. One member of the teaching team, Aoife Prendergast from the Technical University of the Shannon in Ireland, said that a highlight of the course was

“Diving into the rich, lived experiences shared through the narratives of the group. The most powerful moments came from hearing the scholars weave their personal life stories into their visions for the future,” said聽Aoife Prendergast from the Technical University of the Shannon in Ireland, one of the members of the teaching team. “Watching everyone reflect on what ‘belonging’ truly means both personally and professionally created a deeply collaborative and resonant atmosphere in the room. It is clear that these narratives are shaping some truly inspiring and thoughtful pathways for the future!”

This international teaching team and transatlantic approach to this course allowed scholars to engage with a different set of cultures and a different concept of what education can be. Scholars were able to form deep connections with each other, their teaching team and the course content in ways that encouraged them to apply it to their futures.

鈥淭hroughout the three weeks, this class really opened my eyes and drew me to a new perspective of the world,” one scholar said. “We learned about perspectives of the world and how we all see the world differently, and we connected it to AI and how AI picks up on our culture and creates its own perspectives through patterns. The instructors always made me feel like I belong and they allowed me to open my mind and curiosity.鈥�

Another Scholar shared how the course inspired them to see community in a different light.

鈥淭his class gave me the opportunity to meet people outside of the country where I live and to see how community can be built in different environments,” another scholar reflected. “Every day was engaging and we were always doing something hands-on that made the course exciting. The instructors all came from different backgrounds, which felt so diverse, and I loved hearing about their cultures. I felt both academically and intellectually challenged in the course, which made me critically think about who I am in this world and how we can connect that to AI.鈥�

Tom Ritchie from the University of Warwick in the UK served as the lead instructor and designed the course in partnership with Evan Small, the 黑料不打烊 Academy faculty scholar. As a Fulbright Scholar, Ritchie was able to provide 黑料不打烊 Academy students with an exposure to additional post-graduate international education opportunities.

“This course exemplifies what makes 黑料不打烊 Academy so special – the willingness of our faculty, partners and supporters to create transformative learning experiences that expand our Scholars’ perspectives and help them see themselves as part of a much larger world,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the 黑料不打烊 Academy. “Through this collaborative course, our scholars were challenged to think critically, embrace new perspectives, build meaningful connections across cultures, and develop the confidence, curiosity, and global mindset that will serve them well in college, their careers, and their communities.”

The Centre for Belonging in Education is a U.K.-based group of researchers and practitioners that advocates for policies and practices to support belonging across educational spaces. The Centre seeks to co-create practical resources, build robust evidence and develop policy recommendations in both the U.K. and the U.S.

Much of Small’s existing scholarship is focused on belonging and mattering in and out of classrooms. In his three year role as founding fellow, Small will deepen this work and examine how educators can facilitate spaces for all students to belong.

Over the span of the grant, this project will involve collaborations between several Environmental Studies and Outdoor Leadership and Education courses and students at Providence Montessori to address the urgent need for habitat restoration and the protection of native, edible and medicinal plant species. 黑料不打烊 students will be engaged in course-based research and community-based learning projects to support Providence students and teachers in restoring damaged habitats, identifying and mapping key plant species, evaluating soil health, and integrating environmental stewardship and mindfulness into K鈥�12 learning. Through hands-on work at both Providence鈥檚 food forest and outdoor nature school, students will document species and their habitat, study cultural and historical uses, and create advocacy tools to protect these habitats on campus and in the wider community.

Faculty say addressing these issues is critically important because restoring native ecosystems not only protects biodiversity but also strengthens community resilience, improves mental health and empowers students to become responsible stewards of the planet. Through research, restoration, and hands-on learning, faculty say the project seeks to revitalize natural spaces, promote environmental justice, and reconnect students with nature in ways that foster gratitude, responsibility and long-term care for the earth

The symposium involved presentations from academics and practitioners from across the country. Two of the 黑料不打烊 students also presented their undergraduate research.

鈥淚 learned truly how applicable outdoor education and experiential education can be incorporated into our lives,” said Calista Quirk ’26,聽who presented her research titled “Exploring Gender Boundaries in College and University Outdoor Education Programs Across North Carolina.” “I felt unbelievably empowered by how much research can impact a group of people. I truly learned how much of an impact I can have as a single person with a passion for what I do every day.鈥�

Adam Arno 鈥�26 presented research titled 鈥楤eyond Entertainment: Exploring Humor as a Response to Stress in Outdoor Education Programming.” Arno shared that the experience 鈥済ave me a first look into the potential for outdoor education research. It was a special opportunity to present my undergraduate research in front of top names in the field. It also was a chance to get my name out into the world as someone interested in pushing forward research in experiential education.鈥�

While at the conference, students attended sessions and networked with faculty and undergraduates. Sessions challenged them to broaden their view of outdoor experiential education and consider how data and assessment can inform program practice.

Leah Brooker 鈥�27 said that the conference 鈥渋nspired me to continue asking questions about outdoor education practices, how they can impact others, and how their value can be integrated into a multitude of different disciplines. I learned that the field is multifaceted, ever-evolving, and making exciting advancements toward helping others recognize its importance. This experience motivated me to dive deeper into my undergraduate research.鈥�

Are you a returning student?

Do you like having a voice in Area Improvements and the chance to plan cool programs for your area?

Then Area Council is the place for you! Area Council is a great way to get involved and have a leadership position on campus.

See the list below for where your Area Council is meeting.

Oaks: McCoy Commons Game Room

North: Chandler Computer Lab

Danieley Center: Daniel Commons

East: Lobby of the International Pavilion

West: West Parlor

Colonnades: 2nd floor A building

Interest meetings will be held on Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. Anyone interested in running for a position or just learning more about Area Councils is encouraged to attend.

Positions available include: Governor, Secretary, Building Representatives, and General Body members.

See the attached link for more information about Area Councils.