Collegiate Times

An enthusiastic pitch made by a faculty member during my freshman orientation is how I first learned about the Earth Sustainability program at Virginia Tech.

They promised the crowd of new Hokies an alternative core curriculum that fulfilled area credits through a “learning community” that would explore various disciplines through the lens of resource sustainability. The chance to be a part of something novel was alluring.

The details surrounding my acceptance into the program are in many ways emblematic of what my undergraduate experience at Tech has become. I remember being anxious in the crowd during orientation — like I was being sized up by my peers. I was also intensely aware that orientation was the prime opportunity to take chances, to make friends, and in some small way to create a sense of closeness amidst the chaos of a large public university.

I was lucky. Had I been a freshman in fall 2005 or 2007, I might not have learned about ES. The program is wholly dependent on research grants and the creativity of our administrators to gather funds for the alternative core curriculum, which is why it is only offered every two years. This makes ES impermanent, and its survival thus far is due to the extremely hard work and impassioned conviction of its creators.

My parents enthusiastically supported my decision to join ES. I have a vivid memory of learning about the program among the crowd of freshmen, but I also knew my parents had seen a similar pitch for ES in their own orientation. I recently called my dad to test his memory (it needs frequent testing) to determine if he had any initial reactions when he heard of ES. I wasn’t ready for what he told me.

When my mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor 19 years ago, my father became her fierce advocate. All the doctors they sought out recommended surgery, but my parents did not feel comfortable with their advice. My dad finally found the medical team he was looking for at George Washington University. GWU is a “teaching hospital.” Doctors are not only treating patients, but are actively engaged in research — constantly finding answers to questions and adapting their techniques — a process that requires an intellectual bravery set apart from other practices.

Pedagogy is the art, science or profession of teaching. ES is part of an extensive pedagogical research project that tracks the intellectual development of undergraduate students as compared to large, lecture style classes.

The program requires that teachers exhibit flexibility in their methods and that they respond to critique — it also requires students to take ownership of the classroom. This alternative style creates a dynamic that encourages real learning, the ability to teach oneself, and effectively collaborate.

As a “teaching hospital” would provide cutting-edge research and more comprehensive health care, my dad recognized ES as its educational equivalent.

True to the pitch, my instructors are not only curious in what we learn, but how we learn, that we want to learn, and how we use what we learn. I know what I’ve learned from ES not because I have kept all the readings and exams, but because I can articulate the themes and concepts and teach others. It’s a metric that cannot be understood in leaden Scantron, and my commitment to the program is the smartest decision I’ve made at Tech.

Last Tuesday, ES, along with the Department of Chemistry, was awarded the 2009 Exemplary Department Award for its outstanding faculty and its integration of research in the classroom.

Daniel Wubah, vice president and dean for undergraduate education, introduced the award and expressed his hope that there were more undergraduate opportunities in the ‘mode’ of ES at Tech.

Uninspired accounting may undermine undergraduate education’s exemplary department — but I am confident that our administration’s commitment to providing Hokies the best education possible will trump any expected budget constraints.

In many ways ES is emblematic of what undergraduate academics can become. It is a testament to our university’s motto, “Invent the Future.” It is my hope that prospective Hokies are allowed to take a chance on an alternative core curriculum — and not just because they’re lucky enough to hear it on an even year during orientation.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb 11 issue of the Collegiate Times.