All majors at Middlebury College offer connections between classroom and experiential learning as well as opportunities to pursue a lifelong commitment to changemaking. 

Here is a sample of these opportunities, some of which are supported by the Elizabeth Hackett Robinson ’84 Innovation Hub.

MiddCORE

MiddCORE is a four-week, mentor-powered innovation experience for undergraduates and recent grads who desire to launch their education and passions into the world at large.

Professor of the Practice David Torres
Professor of the Practice David Torres ‘84 teaches Social Entrepreneurship and Global Health.

The Perennial Turn: In this course, students analyze how perennial ideas might address local, regional, and planetary issues of social justice and climate stability. Taught by Bill Vitek, Nadine Canter Barnicle, professor of the practice and community engagement specialist, and Marc Lapin, associate lab professor in environmental studies.  

 

Designing for Real

Habitat for Humanity of Addison County has a mission to provide its neighbors with affordable housing. Middlebury College has a robust studio architecture program that attracts eager and talented students. Bringing the two together created a rare and rewarding opportunity for these students to be actively involved in a real-world design process that will culminate in two beautiful (and highly efficient) homes for local families. Taught by John McLeod, you can read more about the class Habitat for Humanity Housing Unit: Research, Planning, and Schematic Design here
 

Students walk through meadow
ENVS 0401 Community Engaged Practicum: Through this interdisciplinary capstone experience, senior environmental studies majors collaborate with community organizations to lend their creativity, perspectives and research skills to addressing current environmental issues in our region and beyond. Here, students in the Fall 2019 Community-Engaged Practicum explored Landscape Level Conservation in the Center-West Ecoregion of Vermont, working on a number of issues from the landscape level perspective. Community partnerships centered on building healthier natural and cultural communities in the region. Projects and partnerships aim to help community partners further advance goals for integrative land management, improved water quality, and improved land access for the Abenaki.

Inequality and the American Dream taught by Matt Lawrence, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Privilege & Poverty Academic Director. Read more about the Privilege and Poverty Academic Cluster here and here

Geographers explore Uganda’s conservation challenges

Geographer Jessica L’Roe brought the rows of a spreadsheet to life for five Middlebury undergraduates this summer. The assistant professor, who teaches a course called Land and Livelihoods, took the students on an 11-day trip to Uganda, where they helped L’Roe continue a long-term research project at Kibale National Park.

Global Health poster
Global Health taught by Pam Berenbaum, which in Fall 2019 had a community-connected research component for final project work. Here, Charlotte Marks ’23 explains her research on nursing shortages in Vermont and the rest of the U.S.