Students participating in this immersive field school will gain an understanding of sustainability as it relates to the environment, culture, and economy in one of Michigan’s most ecologically diverse places - Beaver Island. Students will learn about the rich history of the island, engage with community partners, attend Beaver Island's Annual Sustainability Fair and complete a collaborative group project.

Led by Dr. Kelly Parker and Dr. Rebecca Williams this hybrid course includes a 1-day orientation on Allendale Campus, then a week of online learning, followed by a week on Beaver Island, where students will reside in cabins at the CMU Biological Station. 

Offered in the Summer, the class will depart from GVSU and ride the ferry from Charlevoix, MI to Beaver Island over Lake Michigan and return to Allendale Campus a week later. 

• Semester Offered: Spring/Summer 2025
• Course Title/Number: ENS 380.01 Beaver Island Field School: Place Matters (CRN 41775)
• Credits: 3
• Instruction: Hybrid
• Capacity: 12 students
• Dates: There will be a 2-hour, in-person orientation session in Allendale on June 8 from 12pm to 2pm. Class will meet online (asynchronous) from June 9 – 14. We will be traveling and staying on Beaver Island from Sunday, June 15 – Sunday, June 22. All graded work will be due by June 28.
• Instructor: Dr. Kelly Parker, Professor of Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Philosophy, and Dr. Rebecca Williams, Assistant Professor of Integrative, Environmental, and Global Studies
• Prerequisites: Instructor permission; permit required. Applications will be reviewed in March, with students informed of enrollment decisions within 2 weeks. If more students apply than the program is able to accommodate, preference will be given to ENS students with junior or senior standing. Waitlist decisions will be announced as positions become available, through May.
• Course Fee: $900. Like other experiential learning courses, enrollment in the Beaver Island Field School requires a course fee to assist in covering the costs of lodging, meals, transportation, and activities. This is in addition to the cost of tuition.  
• Fulfillment: For ENS majors and minors, this course can be used to fulfill any Social/Cultural Perspectives requirement. Alternatively, students pursuing an ENS minor may apply this course as an additional upper-level elective.