The Lillian Anderson Arboretum is a natural preserve managed by Kalamazoo College’s Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center (ESC). The arboretum encompasses 140 acres of pines, marshes, meadows, and second-growth deciduous forests.
It serves as a valued resource for over 20,000 visitors each year who come to study, recreate, reflect, and learn, acting as a bridge between Kalamazoo College and the wider Kalamazoo community. The ESC staff, alongside a dedicated student trail crew, maintains the trails throughout the preserve. If that sounds like your ideal job, consider applying for the Arb Trail Crew next application cycle!
If Arb Trail Crew isn’t your thing, you could instead visit the Arb for P.E. credit! We encourage students to consider taking the Arboretum Stewardship course, which will be offered in Fall 2026 (transportation provided!). Through this course, students have the opportunity to learn about invasive plant management, practice the basics of trail maintenance, learn to use trail tools, and enjoy time outdoors!
With warmer weather on the horizons, now is the perfect time to visit the arboretum! The birds are coming out, flowers are blooming, and the trails have never looked as gorgeous as they do in spring. There’s never been a better time to head out and see what the arboretum has to offer – especially if you haven’t had the chance to visit yet. In fact, the ESC is happy to host any clubs or classes that need transportation. For example, the ESC is taking the Composting P.E. class to arboretum during 9th Week, and the ESC has shuttled students in the past. There are more opportunities to get to the arboretum outside of just the ESC, however. The Kalamazoo College Birdwatching Club (@birdingatk) regularly visits in order to identify and observe different bird species as a group while many of the Biology Department’s spring courses make an effort to visit the arboretum at least once during a lab session.
Additionally, if you prefer to go alone but don’t have access to a vehicle, there’s the option of taking the bus. Hop on the Route 14 bus at West Main and Catherine (Stop 605) or West Main & Monroe (Stop 603) and ride until the Oshtemo Library (Stop 1221). Enter the Oshtemo park and from there you can walk to the Arb! The Route 14 bus operates from 9:30am to 5:30pm on weekdays with services swinging by every hour.
Experiential education is core pillar of the ESC’s values. If you’re eager to have a class outdoors at the arboretum, ask your professors! Encourage them to get the class outside and connect their lessons to the broader outdoors. The ESC provides resources for this exact reason, and we want everyone who wants to get outdoors to GET OUTDOORS!
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This past week, Kalamazoo College celebrated Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week! Officially held the week of March 23-30, the World Wide Climate Teach-In brings together over 100 universities and 350 organizations from more than 50 countries, focusing on creating Climate and Justice dialogues in K-12 Schools, post-secondary institutions, and environmentally-minded communities across the globe. According to one participating college, the University of Kansas, “a Teach-In model invites researchers, community leaders, students, and faith groups to share space and participate in solutions-oriented discussions with attendees that will drive interdisciplinary perspectives and cultivate actionable solutions for your college and community.”
How does Kalamazoo College participate?
Because the official week fell during our spring break, Kalamazoo College decided to celebrate during Week 4, which coincided with both Earth Day and the Sustainability SIP Symposium. Faculty and staff from K across over 20 classes and programs facilitated discussions about the climate crisis and encouraged environmental justice both on campus and in educational spaces! From German students learning about art and sustainability in Vienna and increasing their ability to discuss these issues in another language, to student filmmakers creating short documentaries focused on climate/environment, to economics courses teaching about current issues and potential policy solutions to climate change, students all across the campus had the opportunity to integrate climate education into their everyday lives. More information on some of this year’s participants can be found here. Thank you to all of the students, faculty, and staff who participated in K’s Worldwide Climate Justice and Education Week!
Looking beyond the Climate Teach-in Week
Although the official event (and K’s unofficial one!) lasts only one week each year, promoting climate education remains important year-round. In fact, climate education is a core pillar of K’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), the framework we use to ensure that sustainability is a core value interwoven with all aspects of campus living. Under the guidance of the CAP, all students are encouraged to engage in climate education in their fields and to understand how to incorporate sustainability into their own lives amid a changing climate.
These goals help guide the environmental work that goes on around campus and beyond. We may have a long way to go towards global sustainability, but the efforts on campus this week are among the most important ways we can contribute to that goal. If you missed the Climate Education Week this year, don’t worry! It’ll be back next year, along with plenty of ways to participate. While it’s up to faculty and staff to design lessons, students are the driving advocates behind increasing awareness, and their voices can help jumpstart the movement by providing much-needed inspiration and drive.
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Third week is coming to a close and Earth Week is upon us, bringing with it the 2026 Sustainability SIP Symposium. The Symposium, hosted at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership this Wednesday, April 22nd, will showcase 17 seniors with sustainable Senior-Integrated Projects across their respective departments. The keynote speaker, Reese Dillard, will speak about relationship building and environmental political movements beginning at 6:30 pm, followed by two rounds of senior presenters starting at 7:30 pm. All are welcome, and we hope to see you there!
Mairin Boshoven K’25 presenting at the 2025 Sustainability SIP SymposiumIvy Walker K’25 presenting at the 2025 Sustainability SIP Symposium
Now that it’s the spring trimester and summer is in sight, current juniors may be investigating their options for SIPs. The Symposium is put on by the Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center and the Environmental Studies department, but the presenters aren’t limited to seniors with the Environmental Studies concentration. Drawing from this year’s graduating seniors, Madeline Moss (English major) reported on Southwest Michigan food systems, while Ryan Neihsl (History major) compared the effect of beavers and pigs on European-Indigenous relations. Also featured are a Studio Art and Critical Ethnic Studies double major, Sophia Sprick, who will present sculptures reflecting material memory and embodied knowledge, and Nora Parks-Church, who will present on the ethics of invasion and restoration ecology as part of her Philosophy and Psychology double major.
Luke Werner K’26 holding a pikeNat Ward K’26 at Yellowstone National Park
Nearly every year, a few seniors choose to complete their SIP at Kalamazoo College’s Lillian Anderson Arboretum, our 140-acre off-campus green space. This year, Madi Magda K’26, is showing how tread management can combat trail erosion. In past years, seniors have focused on land cover area classifications or invasive species in the Arb. If you want more examples of past research, check out our past Symposiums! Similarly, seniors have chosen to conduct their SIP through an internship, such as Tending Tilth, where Lauren Stallman K’26 studied prescribed grazing for ecosystem management, or with the Kalamazoo Nature Center, where seniors can study regenerative agriculture practices or youth outdoor education. Some students took their focus out of state, such as Nat Ward K’26, who studied the bison in Yellowstone National Park, or Sofia Fleming K’25, who researched invasive squirrel diets in Washington state.
As rising seniors, some juniors may be interested in bridging their SIP with their experiences abroad, like Brooke Dolhay K’25, who studied marine ecosystems at the Institute for Marine Research in the Philippines, or Hailey Yoder K’26, who observed the effects of reef restoration in the Galapagos.
Hailey Yoder K’26 waiting near her coral sites in the Galápagos
The key takeaway is to network! There are many ways to get involved in research or community engagement, and the easiest way to find them is to ask around. The ESC can suggest ideas from their wishlist of sustainable projects that a rising senior can embrace, and Environmental Studies professors often hear about research and internship opportunities in the area that they can connect students to. As summer approaches, consider experiential education opportunities near you over the break, and reach out to the ESC if you want to discuss ideas or are looking for project funding! There is no one-size-fits-all approach to completing a SIP, and this Symposium showcases seniors’ creativity and intersecting interests in their capstone projects.
Want to be inspired in person? Come to the Sustainability SIP Symposium this Earth Day to celebrate our seniors and learn about how they’re integrating sustainability into their studies.
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The Environmental Stewardship Center (ESC) is excited to welcome back all of our students, staff, and faculty back to campus for the spring trimester! We hope everyone had a relaxing break because we’re ready to hit the ground running with a host of exciting events this term. Our interns are located in Dewing Commons Monday through Thursday, and you can always stop by to ask questions and learn more about what we do! Below are all the ways the ESC is actively working to make a greener, more sustainable campus this spring:
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Sustainability SIP Symposium
We’re so excited to announce our 2026 Sustainability SIP Symposium! Honoring the work of incredible seniors across all corners of campus who have completed Senior Integrated Projects dealing with themes of climate change, the environment, and sustainability, the Symposium will include a keynote speaker, presentations, great food, and lots to celebrate! The event is free and open to all! Come join us in the Arcus Center on Wednesday, April 22nd, from 6:30-9pm. In the meantime, keep an eye out for senior spotlights coming out soon on our Instagram!
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Hoop House
The Hoop House is happy to host open hours again this term! Open hours this term will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4:30-6:30pm. We’re also excited to host a number of events, including flower pressing, paper-making, herbal tea making, etc. Check our Instagram to stay updated!
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Composting
Composting is back up and running this term! In fact, our composting interns are already distributing mature compost from the fall and winter terms to the Jolly Gardens and the Hoop House. Grab a bucket to support our composting team and be a part of a sustainable local food cycle! And don’t forget to be on the look out for Groove Grove during 9th week!
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P.E. Classes
It’s spring, which means it is time for everyone’s favorite P.E. courses: composting and gardening! These courses highlight our campus’s commitment to experimental learning and developing a sense environmental responsibility, core pillars of our Climate Action Plan. If you haven’t had the chance to take one of the amazing classes yet, be on the look out next fall and spring terms!
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Global Climate Education Week
Every year, the World Wide Climate & Justice Education Week is an event focused on creating Climate and Justice dialogues across primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, and the greater international community of advocates across the globe. A “Teach-in” model invites students, staff, faculty, community leaders, and faith groups to create space and participate in solutions-oriented discussions about climate change that will drive interdisciplinary perspectives and cultivate actionable solutions. This year, Kalamazoo College is happy to participate with faculty from a wide array of departments, ranging from fine arts to business to the natural sciences. The Global event occurred in March, but Kalamazoo College’s Climate Education Week takes place during Week 4 with faculty incorporating environmental and sustainability issues into their lessons, and we encourage you to ask your profs to participate!
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Climate Connection Series
The Climate Connection Series aims to not only discuss the Kalamazoo College’s Climate Action Plan goals but also to encourage students to incorporate those goals into their academic and personal lives. Two events will be held this term, one in Week 6 discussing the learning and environmental responsibility goals and the other in Week 7 discussing the resource conservation and greenhouse gas emission goals. More information coming soon!
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Week 8 Community Reflection
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) Committee is happy to host the Week 8 Community Reflection! Committee members, which include students, faculty, and staff, will come together to discuss a basic overview of the CAP and its goals, major wins that we’ve accomplished, and where we’re headed now. Additionally, the CAP Committee aims to encourage students to get involved, stay informed, and incorporate the CAP into their own lives through this community reflection. More details coming soon!
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Sustainability Chats
The ESC is happy to continue hosting our biweekly Sustainability Chats! Every even week Wednesday we come together during common time (11am) to discuss on-campus environmental opportunities and news – snacks provided!
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Community Events
Harvest Lecture Series: The ValleyHUB Honorable Harvest Lecture Series explores ways in which we can come together to nurture and restore the Honorable Harvest in our communities and in our everyday lives. The 2026 spring series takes place on Tuesdays at 6:30-7:30 p.m. from March 10th – April 21st, and lectures occur in Classroom 223 at the Marilyn J Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, 418 E. Walnut St. Kalamazoo
Farmer’s Market: the PCF Farmer’s Market begins in May 2nd! It’s open on Saturdays 7am to 1pm, so get out and support local farms and businesses!
Foodways Symposium: The Kalamazoo 2026 Southeast Asian Foodways Symposium takes places April 10th – April 11th. The symposium acts as an exploration and celebration of the Southeast Asian food cultures found here in Michigan. The event includes a keynote address, cooking demos, classes, hands-on activities, community conversations, kids activities, local area vendors, food and more!
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Applications for Student Positions through the Environmental Stewardship Center open on Monday, March 9th, so we’re highlighting the experiences of our amazing ESC team! The ESC currently has five student positions, two of which are opening next week. If you’re interested in learning more about applying, check out our Student Positions page.
There are the beloved Hoop House interns, who tend to the Hoop House, organize open hours and activities, and host cultural events. Veda Shukla ’28 just joined the Hoop House in the fall and states “I have learned so much since working at the Hoop, from gardening practices and sustainability to the importance of community and reciprocity with the Earth. I carry the knowledge I have learned from my internship into all other areas of my life, and I am eternally grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of people.” Zoe Wilson ’26, who has been a steward of the Hoop House for three years now, explains what she’s gained: “Whether I am tending to the beds, organizing an event, or enjoying a deliciously ripe strawberry, the Hoop House continues to teach me. Not only do I gain firsthand knowledge about how to care for the land, but I have also acquired knowledge in how to listen, be patient, and care for my community, humans and more-than-humans alike.”
Next, we have the adventurous Arb Trail Crew, who serve as stewards of the Lillian Anderson Arboretum and do trail maintenance and invasive species management. Six miles away from campus, the five miles of trails at the Arb keep the crew busy as they help remove fallen trees and branches, keep the Wetland Boardwalk clear, and interact with neighbors enjoying the calls of the sandhill cranes. Students like Nat Ward ’26 also help run the Arb Stewardship Practicum, which is one of the ESC’s free PE class offerings.
There is also the hard-working Composting Crew, who manage the composting on campus, teach the composting PE class, steward the Grove, and encourage sustainable waste management from students, staff, and faculty around Kalamazoo College. Mo Silcott ’27 is returning to Composting Crew after their study abroad and they spoke about their experience, saying: “In my time working on the Crew, I’ve gained a wealth of wisdom when it comes to an aspect of the nature cycle that is often avoided: death. In many ways, as composters, we give organic material such as fruits and vegetables new life by turning them into cured compost to use as nutrients for future produce, plants, and other types of gardens. Teaching composting has also been a journey, allowing another layer of understanding. I not only have to apply what I know but understand it at a deeper level in order for others to learn.” Miyani Sonera ’27 just joined the Composting Crew last spring and remarked, “Composting in the grove has given me the chance to not only interact with our environment here at K, but to learn from it! The grove is truly such a special place that has given me so much and has been amazing to work in!”
A new position at the ESC is the remarkable Dining Sustainability Intern, who works with the K’s dining partner, Parkhurst, to promote sustainability in dining locations. Madi Magda ’26 has helped to improve waste stream education, like recycling and composting, for staff and students alike through clear signage, hosting tabling events, and intercepting compostable items that would otherwise hit the landfill. One way she has encouraged our campus to take sustainable practices into their own hands is the Double Punch program at the Book Club – bring your own mug, get two punches towards a free drink!
Lastly, there are the ESC Interns. They help put on every ESC event such as the Sustainability SIP Symposium, biweekly Sustainability Chats, and the Climate Connection Series, the last of which is informed by their representation on the Climate Action Plan Committee. They work to increase students’ involvement with campus sustainability and the Climate Action Plan through the First-Year Forums, ESC’s social media, and these blog posts you’re reading! Crucial to the ESC function, they help connect all the different intern roles and help the different teams collaborate throughout the year. Mia Pierce ’26 has been an ESC Intern for three years now and states, “I’ve loved working at the ESC because it’s forced me out of my comfort zone and given a lot of opportunities to develop professional skills. For example, I used to be really anxious about public speaking, but working at the ESC has given the space to work on that. Now, I regularly present to my peers at the Climate Connections Series and also lead the FYE sustainability tour. Additionally, I’ve gained experience in working in a large group to plan a major event, the Sustainability SIP Symposium, which requires constant communication and coordination to make happen.” Josie Belsky ’28 began her role as an ESC intern last spring and comments, “I’ve learned so much about how things run behind the scenes through the ESC, and the most rewarding part is realizing that I’m capable of doing things I’ve never tried before and learning skills through that process. Working as the ESC intern has taught me better communication skills with students and staff, organizational skills and flexibility when working with lots of dynamic tasks simultaneously, and creative skills for engaging with the K community.”
You can meet our entire 2025-2026 ESC team on our About Us page! If you’re interested in applying to be the next Hoop House or ESC intern, keep an eye out for applications on March 9th!
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A few weeks ago on February 4th, the Environmental Stewardship Center (ESC) was happy to partner with the Parkhurst Dining team for Weigh the Waste. Led by two ESC interns, Madi Magda ’26 and Mo Silcott ’27, students were invited to weigh their waste and play trivia games centered around composting to win prizes – and it was a huge hit!
This event has been run by Parkhurst at other schools in the past, and Kalamazoo College decided to join in on the fun this year! Weigh the Waste is an event where sustainability initiatives are held on campuses to raise awareness about the food that is wasted on a daily basis. There is a visual aspect to demonstrating the food waste as well: food that would normally be thrown away is put into a clear bin that is on a scale to be weighed. To promote education on compost, students who threw their waste away got to play trivia and were able to win prizes if they got the answers right.
Not only did this event help students visualize the compounding effects of wastefulness that is usually hidden, but it actively educated students about composting and encouraged them to be more conscious of their food waste and carbon footprint. “The best part about this event was seeing them become interested in wanting to be better about food waste and composting,” says Magda K’26. To learn more about composting, you can visit the Composting page on the Sustainability at K website.
This project, along with many others, was brought to life by the new Dining Sustainability Intern, Madi Magda ‘26, who has been coordinating sustainable development between the ESC and K’s dining partner, Parkhurst. For example, her efforts have resulted in a new commercial composting bin being added to the Book Club Cafe in addition to the recycling and landfill containers. This new addition to K’s eco-infrastructure is a step towards responsible waste management on our campus. Magda designed new composting stickers similar to the recycling stickers to educate students and staff on the correct ways to recycle and compost their waste, facilitating a transition to a more environmentally-friendly culture on campus. Another collaboration struck by the Dining Sustainability Intern was a promotion of reusable cups at the Book Club; there are now punch cards in the book club that get two punches towards a free drink if you bring your own mug or cup from home!
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Interested in animal care? Looking for a paid summer position right here in Kalamazoo? Want a cool SIP? Then you might want to check out our upcoming info session to hear about an exciting opportunity through the Environmental Stewardship Center (ESC)!
On Monday, February 9th during common time (11am), come join us in Dewing Commons to hear about a fun summer position unlike anything else – you get take care of cute sheep and help promote sustainable grazing of Kalamazoo College’s own Lillian Anderson Arboretum! This position is made possible through Tending Tilth, a woman-owned sheep grazing business focused on reducing the carbon emissions associated with commercial mowing. Over the course of the summer, you can look forward to working with the grazing sheep as well as little lambs, learning about sustainable agriculture and landscaping, and connecting with environmentally-minded people! Not to mention, this is a great experience for a SIP!
Past participants have loved their time with Tending Tilth! In a blog post about her experience, Grace Lounds K’27 details her summer spent working with Tending Tilth in 2025. Grace says she is now considering going into a large animal vet school after graduation because of this experience!
Below, you can find a gallery of photos from Tending Tilth and past participants to get a glimpse of what you can expect your summer to look like. We hope to see you at the info session!
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Welcome back to campus everyone! We hope you had a wonderful winter break, and we can’t wait to see familiar faces and old friends back on campus.
While not as active as Fall or Spring, the Winter trimester is still full of opportunities to get involved with the Environmental Stewardship Center (ESC) and sustainability on campus as a whole. Our interns are located in Dewing Commons on Mondays and Thursdays, and you can always stop by to ask questions and learn more about what we do! Below are all the ways the ESC is actively working to make a greener, more sustainable campus this term:
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Composting
Our composting program is up and running for winter 2026! Please stop by and grab a bucket!
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ESC
The ESC is happy to continue hosting our biweekly Sustainability Chats! Every even week Wednesday we come together during common time (11am) to discuss on-campus environmental opportunities and news – snacks provided!
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Hoop House
The Hoop House will still continue to have open hours this term! Instead of our fall and spring schedule, open hours this term will be on either Tuesday or Thursday depending on the weather. Check our Instagram to see when open hours are!
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Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference (MWOLC)
This term, Kalamazoo College is happy to host the Midwest Outdoor Leadership Conference (MWOLC). From February 6-8, participating students can attend workshops, meet other students from across the midwest, and join in fun activities like rock wall climbing! This year’s theme is “Rooted – Outdoorsmanship in Identity, Community, and Justice.” While not run by the ESC, we’re so excited about this opportunity that we absolutely had to share it here. Make sure to register!
This past Friday, students and staff gathered on the quad to blow off some steam by smashing pumpkins and eating s’mores. With the help of Kalamazoo College’s Office of Student Activities and the Environmental Stewardship Center’s Composting Crew, cartloads of pumpkins were successfully smashed into smithereens!
Dozens of students, as well as some family of faculty members, came to throw, stomp, chop, and ultimately demolish a batch of pumpkins last week. Students cheered each other on as they chucked pumpkins at the ground, healthily venting the stress from the impended finals season. In between slamming pumpkins with shovels, students shared cozy cups of hot chocolate and gooey s’mores and chatted amidst the fitting tune of alternative rock band, Smashing Pumpkins.
The pumpkins were donated by students and community members, most of which were left over from Halloween decorations and fall harvests. Every year, millions of pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills where they contribute to the significant methane emissions of landfills, rather than successfully decomposing and returning nutrients to the soil. Rather than throwing out these festive vegetables, the Composting Crew collected them in the Grove and returned over a quarter of a ton of pumpkins back to the earth.
That’s right! After a significant amount of transporting and chopping and weighing, 517 pounds of pumpkins were composted just from this year’s Smashing Pumpkins event, not including other pumpkins received in community bucket drop-offs. The compost pile has doubled in size and has been steaming away as it rapidly breaks down the load of pumpkins. The nutrient-dense soil will be given to the Hoop House and the Jolly Garden once it’s cured in the spring to feed next year’s gardens! We hope to see you all at the Smashing Pumpkins event next fall!
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This blog post is part of the ESC Summer Fellowship 2025 series. These fellowships provided funding for research projects related to the environment, sustainability and/or the Climate Action Plan. This post was written by Ava King, one the fellows of this past summer cycle.
Hello! My name is Ava King, and I am a rising sophomore at K looking to study biology, as well as a mixture of philosophy and German. This summer I was granted the opportunity to spend two weeks at the University of Potsdam, participating in the Sustainable Development Academy. This academy brought together undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students from over ten countries in the context of global sustainability and mindsets surrounding these topics. Throughout this program we learned from experts in various fields, listening to lectures and participating in field trips to tour significant areas around Potsdam and Berlin. The history of Potsdam was enticing to learn, as we were able to study at Neue Palais, a former palace now utilized as a university.
This opportunity has been enlightening in more ways than I could have expected. The friends I made through this program allowed me to glimpse perspectives I have never understood before, from varying cultural norms to driving on the left side of the road. I truly believe and hope these people will stay in my life for the long run, which is the greatest gift I could have been granted from this experience. The beauty of Potsdam and Berlin was immense, and I hope to return one day for graduate work or other opportunities spoken of at this conference.
Another experience I would like to speak of in regards to this experience may seem generic, which is growing a deeper sense of self. I have always valued my time alone, pondering ideas or simply taking a social break as I am an introvert. There is something so solidifying in traveling abroad for the first time alone (minus Canada, living in Michigan I don’t count it). There’s a certain openness with the world and with yourself you must come by to succeed in this type of adventure, and this method of visualization is one I hope to always hold onto. The anxiety of new items awakens something in me. My host parents for example, only spoke German (with a limited English vocabulary I found later in the weeks). This was terrifying, but I can now say that my German improved significantly during my time with them, and I am lucky to have another set of grandparents in my life.
I would like to thank the German department, Center for International Programs, and Environmental Stewardship Center at Kalamazoo College for making this opportunity possible, as well as the SDA and International Programs Center at the University of Potsdam for hosting this conference. I would also like to send a special thank you to Professor Sederberg, as the kind and significant amount of support provided permitted this experience to flow smoothly. I was able to stay with the original host parents of Professor Sederberg from when she first arrived in Germany. This was a gift I am so grateful to receive as this couple has changed my life, and so has Professor Sederberg. Thank you to all who have lent their support to me over the past weeks and months preparing for this trip, and to those at U.P. who have made that campus feel as a second home.
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