Environmental Studies

Center for the Environment 

We've combined our environmentally focused programs and bold new initiatives to create a brand new Center for the Environment–your hub for all things climate change, energy, conservation, sustainability, environmental justice, outdoor leadership, and more.

Explore Center for the Environment 

Research

Dig deeper into environmental topics or pressing issues through research, either during the semester or as part of a paid summer fellowship. You may even get to co-author a paper with a faculty mentor like Ethan Collins ’18 did; he and his professor Peter Pettengill collaborated on a study about visitor impact to the Adirondack Park.

Senior Year Experience (SYE)

Turn your passion into a project with a Senior Year Experience. For example, Emma Brandt ’20 went on a multi-day backpacking trip with a faculty advisor for her SYE. They recorded data on the impacts of camping around Cranberry Lake, such as exposed soil, trash, and the number of fire pits. They compared their findings with historical data, and Emma drafted a paper for journal submission.

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Living Lab

So many environmental studies classes make good use of our 110-acre Living Lab, whether it’s observing amphibians in our wetlands to shearing sheep for an eco-fiber course.     

Learn More About the Lab

Nature Up North

This community-based organization housed at St. Lawrence connects people to the North Country environment through citizen scientist projects and outdoor adventures -- and it offers internship and volunteer opportunities for environmental studies majors like you.

Learn About Nature Up North

Meet Your Environmental Studies Mentor

Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Sara Ashpole is passionate about field-based learning, connecting students to real-world environmental challenges while inspiring critical thinking and meaningful action for a sustainable future.

What’s an unusual or innovative course you’ve taught? 

Two stand out: The Green Café and "For the Love of Chocolate," both part of the Sustainability Program. In The Green Café, students run a campus restaurant from start to finish—growing, harvesting, cooking, and serving food under the guidance of chefs, farmers, and myself. For the Love of Chocolate explores sustainable chocolate production, culminating in a campus-wide celebration of all things chocolate. Both courses integrated sustainability, creativity, and real-world applications. 

What’s your favorite class to teach, and why? 

I love teaching "Urban Green" as part of the First-Year Program. It’s an interdisciplinary course that explores innovative and inspiring approaches to urban sustainability, from design to justice. The class is especially rewarding when students bring diverse perspectives and identities, enriching our discussions and group projects. 

What makes your teaching style unique? 

As a field ecologist, I prioritize hands-on learning. Most of my courses include a field or lab component, allowing students to gain practical skills and certifications valued by employers. For example, my courses often include internationally recognized training modules to prepare students for careers in environmental science. I also emphasize career development by helping students build skills that translate directly to the job market. 

Recent Internships

Learn by doing in a real-world environment. Our majors intern with a wide range of organizations, including: 

• St. Lawrence Land Trust
• Central Park Conservancy
• Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• Environmental Voter Project
• Clean WaterAction

Get Career Ready

Volunteer Opportunities

You can also gain experience while making a difference through service work.

• GardenShare, Canton, N.Y.
• Campus Kitchens
• Habitat for Humanity
• Birdsfoot Farm
• littleGrasse Foodworks

Explore Options

Study Abroad

Choose from more than 30 semester-long programs offered in more than 20 international locations, including Australia, China, and Thailand. 

The Adirondack Semester

Live off-the-grid in a remote yurt village: forage food, cook meals, enjoy the wilderness, and take classes like nature writing and environmental ethics.  

Sustainability Program 

Environmentally conscious students of any major can apply for this unique year-long program just four miles from campus. 

Off-Campus Study in the U.S. 

Other U.S-based off-campus study programs include a Liberal Arts in New York City experience, which includes an internship with a Manhattan-based business or nonprofit. 

Short-Term Trips & Field Experiences

In addition to semester- and year-long programs, you’ll also have the chance to participate in short-term travel study trips with your professors. 

Explore Off-Campus Study

Clubs & Organizations 

Among the 150+ clubs and organizations at St. Lawrence, you’ll find many that involve the outdoors, wildlife, and environmental advocacy, including: 

• Outing Club
• Environmental Action Organization 
• CLAW - Connecting Laurentians Around Wilderness
• The Finer Things Cheese and Turophile Society
• Seed to Table
• St. Lawrence River Alliance
• The Greenhouse

• Model U.N. 
• Divestment Club
• Geology Club

Learn About Student Life at St. Lawrence

Alumni Network

St. Lawrence graduates are big thinkers, problem solvers, and fearless leaders at companies and organizations across the country and world. Our alumni network is the second-most influential source for recent graduate employment (only behind internships).

Explore the Power of our Alumni Network

Outcomes

Equally entrepreneurial, there are those Laurentians whose idea of the “office” is hosting a wedding on a classic sailing sloop, sustainably harvesting salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska, or digging up delicious potato varietals while restoring North Country soils. 

Read About Outcomes