Here's what our alumni are saying
"My time here completely astonished me. The various forms of teaching us the meaning of appreciating and working to conserve land has truly changed my perspective. You have a chance to work in the gardens, explore the woods, help out with the cleaning and cooking and most of all appreciate the level of maintenance your manner of living requires. Most of all I’m so grateful for the opportunity to meet the amazing politicians, dairy farmers, waste managers, model forest rangers and watershed directors, who are as passionate as you can get about the work they do. I want to become an environmental lawyer and knowing the individuals working alongside me, in the same system, for the same cause, not only inspires me, but has given me the drive to continue persevering."
- Sasha G., Fordham University
- Sasha G., Fordham University
"I learned about responsibility and community. Every place we visited was eye-opening creating new ideas and opening new doors, and together they created a beautiful picture of the future of our environmental movement. Informative on a deeply personal level, this program taught me humility and some truths about humanity within nature." - Rachel A., Rutgers University
"Eco Practicum provided me with amazing opportunities, experiences, and information that I could have never obtained on my own. I furthered my learning in all of the areas I was interested in and gained knowledge that I only could have gained here. We spoke to professionals and different organizations involved in today’s most controversial environmental issues and to people who were directly impacted by them. We helped out in farms and gardens and had the ability to connect with out food, animals and our planet. This experiences is one you’ll never experience anywhere else. Eco Practicum is a one-of-a-kind program and your experience will be one of the greatest things to ever happen to you and your education in environmental studies." - Carly W., Fordham University
"This program has forced me to reevaluate many aspects of my life- my food ethics, my consumptions, my wastefulness. I am so much more aware of how every action I take impacts the world around me." -Vallie M., Lewis & Clark College
"The weeks I have spent at Eco Practicum have truly been an enlightening experience. I have lived in the suburbs in a relatively upper-middle class community my entire life and never concerned myself with how my house was powered or where the majority of my food came from. After traveling the two and a half hours into the Catskills, I knew these negative thought processes were about to change. This program forced me to be responsible for all of my actions. I started focusing more on my consumption and the nature of the consumerist world in which we live. I never thought a few weeks could have such an impact on my life. So, when I say that the experience was “enlightening” I say so fully understanding the definition of the work and hope many others will be able to have an equally profound journey."
-Ethan K., Hamilton College
-Ethan K., Hamilton College
"Eco Practicum isn’t an opportunity to be overlooked - I definitely recommend taking the leap with this program!"
- DeNeile C., Wesleyan University
- DeNeile C., Wesleyan University
"Eco Practicum is definitely a life changer. Staying at this unique learning environment in the Catskill region is simply amazing. Each unit has a very different dynamic and we get to meet an incredible amount of environmental enthusiasts and passionate people that put enormous effort into their work. I never imagined learning so much in such a short period. Working hands-on in the farm is a highlight of this experience. It really feels like accomplishing when seeing the farm/garden developing bit by bit, and it’s all done by our own hands. The peer-led education also tested my knowledge base. This program is about learning, growing and thinking. If you are interested in the environment, wanting to know where our food comes from, concerned about consumption issues and hoping for better resource management or simply trying to look for something different in life, this program would be a complete eye-opener. Each of the participants are so distinct yet we all gained a lot you can never find elsewhere."
- Jenny K., Fordham University
- Jenny K., Fordham University
"I was truly inspired by this program - not only by all the experts - farmers and scientists alike, but also by my peers, who are going to be my partners in the effort to better our practices and systems. Everyone who takes the time to do this program will come out with a better understanding of our world." - Michele K., Hamilton College
"The trips are amazing. It was great to get an array of perspectives from people actually working in the field on some of the most important issues facing humanity today. The surrounding mountains are beautiful and the region-specific study is very interesting. The small group discussions are great and the democratic learning experience was very effective. I would really recommend that as many people as possible try this program and get a new perspective on the way that people are living today."
-Irene D., Rutgers University
-Irene D., Rutgers University
Lesia Kinach writing about her experience at Eco Practicum for Slow Food Canada:
"My ultimate Slow Food experience during the program, however, took placed during the second week when we focused on animals. One day we visited a small-scale family farm that raises animals naturally on pasture, and there we witnessed a lamb slaughter. It was a day of firsts for me: the first time I touched an animal I would later eat; the first time I watched the skinning of an animal before my eyes. It was truly incredible to witness the entire process; to see that piece of meat on my plate and be able to recall the sacrifice that was necessary to put it there. I’ll never forget that meal, or how amazing it felt to be so connected to my food.
The most important thing I learned overall is that farming in a way that is good, clean and fair is hard work. It requires a wealth of knowledge about how nature works, and I have so much respect for those farmers who are committed to their Slow Food values. My two week journey has inspired me to learn more about the farmers I buy from back home in Ontario, and to visit some local family farms and hear their stories, too."
Read the full article: Exploring All Things Food at Eco Practicum
"My ultimate Slow Food experience during the program, however, took placed during the second week when we focused on animals. One day we visited a small-scale family farm that raises animals naturally on pasture, and there we witnessed a lamb slaughter. It was a day of firsts for me: the first time I touched an animal I would later eat; the first time I watched the skinning of an animal before my eyes. It was truly incredible to witness the entire process; to see that piece of meat on my plate and be able to recall the sacrifice that was necessary to put it there. I’ll never forget that meal, or how amazing it felt to be so connected to my food.
The most important thing I learned overall is that farming in a way that is good, clean and fair is hard work. It requires a wealth of knowledge about how nature works, and I have so much respect for those farmers who are committed to their Slow Food values. My two week journey has inspired me to learn more about the farmers I buy from back home in Ontario, and to visit some local family farms and hear their stories, too."
Read the full article: Exploring All Things Food at Eco Practicum