Outdoor Education and Sustainability Program

The Rutgers University-Newark (RU-N), Office of Global Initiatives and Experiential Learning (GIEL) is the central hub for all RU-N global initiatives. This department has been tasked to construct global initiatives that reflect the university’s strategic plan while considering the dynamic identities and interests of our students, faculty and staff. At its core, the office facilitates and supports study-away, field-study, and experiential learning programs for students. These include both the office’s anchor International Leadership Experience (ILE) initiative, RU-N faculty-led travel programs, and partner initiatives such as Fulbright, Peaceboat, Peacecorps etc.  In addition to our ongoing alignment with Rutgers’ Strategic Plan, GIEL aims to commit to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of their Decade of Action till 2030. While some of our existing projects are already in line with the SDGs, our upcoming initiatives aim to be further integrated resulting in a total commitment to 9 out of 17 SDGs 

Starting in 2020, we aim to incorporate stand-alone sustainable and outdoor education initiatives in and around the city of Newark.  Our offerings include one-day, weekend and break trips aimed at developing a connection to nature and the skills necessary to thrive in it. We do this through adventure sports, eco-immersion, and expeditionary education. We also plan to conduct on-campus workshops and community service programs with urban partners promoting environmental justice. Last, but not the least, we hope to contribute to the larger conversation on representation and access within the outdoor education industry. We do this through film screenings, guest speakers, and promoting practitioners & literature. Our potential locations and partners include the Pine Barrens, Billion Oysters Project, the NYC Composting Project, Urban Agriculture Coop and Planting Seeds of Hope, Greater Newark Conservancy and additional local hiking/biking trails.  

Finally, the Outdoor Education & Sustainability Program also includes a domestic travel component to New Hampshire. During this course, students will travel to Marlow, NH for an immersion in sustainable living at the Kroka Village. At Kroka, learning comes alive as students engage with the landscape and work to become stewards of the environment. Living on this working farm, students will use electricity that comes from the sun, eat food that is grown by the work of many hands, and live in homes that are built from natural materials. In this space students will learn about the power of sustainable living and community building as they explore the relationship between humanity and the wilderness. 

We hope the Outdoor Education & Sustainability Program will enable students at RU-N to meaningfully engage with ideas of sustainable living and incorporate it in their urban lifestyles. A final goal is to open up previously unexplored career pathways for RU-N students through these partnerships and programs.