Spotlights
Beaver Island Field School gives students an immersive interdisciplinary experience
August 05, 2022
Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies is proud to feature the following article, written by Professor Kelly Parker, who oversees the Beaver Island Field School:
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The 2022 Beaver Island Field School
By Kelly A. Parker
Environmental and Sustainability Studies
Program Grand Valley State University
Overview
The Beaver Island Field School is a 3-credit elective
course with a capacity of twelve students. The course is designed as
an interdisciplinary immersion in “place”—in this case, a unique
54-square-mile island located in the middle of northern Lake Michigan.
Between 2019 and 2022, two ENS Capstone project groups helped
plan the trip and curriculum; a third group designed the logo and a
pocket Field Guide for use during the trip.
The course was
presented in hybrid format between June 12 – July 2, 2022. After an
initial in-person orientation meeting, students spent a week absorbing
key background readings and preparing individual learning plans. The
group camped on Beaver Island from Sunday June 19 to Sunday June 26.
Final projects were due on July 5.
Nine ENS majors and one LEADS
program student participated in this inaugural field school. All
students completed pre-departure reading and discussion board
assignments on:
1. the island’s history (with an emphasis in Indigenous
history)
2. the island’s ecology and geology
3. the
ancient stone circle structure
4. principles of sustainable
design
5. sustainable energy options
Students also prepared individual learning plans describing resources
and activities needed to support their proposed final projects.
The group was hosted at the Central Michigan University Biological
Research Station Campground. This facility provided cabins with
electricity and heat, three daily meals at the campus cafeteria, as
well as access to classrooms, a computer lab, library, and beach.
Travel on the island was via vans provided by GVSU and CMU.
Activities and partners
Formal activities included:
• A tour of the island, including a natural area hike with Seamus
Norgaard (North Central Michigan College Environmental and
Sustainability Studies program)
• A tour of the Beaver Island
Historical Society’s Mormon Print Shop Museum with Lori Taylor-Blitz
(BIHS Director)
• A tour of the CMU Biological Research Station and overview of
research activities with John Gordon (CMU Station Manager)
•
Service projects at the Mormon Print Shop Museum: an exhibit poster
on Monarch butterfly migration, and research for a planned fall apple
festival
• An educational hike on Andy’s Trail with Shelby
Harris (Beaver Island Archipelago's Terrestrial Invasive Species
Program Administrator), Phyllis Higman (Michigan Natural Features
Inventory), and Elizabeth Lascala and Hunter Torolski (Invasive
Species Program technicians)
• A tour of the ancient stone
circle, associated trails, and burial mound with Cynthia Pryor
(Chairperson of the Amik Circle Society)
• A design charrette
exploring sustainable hospitality and tourism options at Tara’s
Meadow, with Seamus Norgaard, permaculture consultant Kam Offenhauser,
and a group of NCMC students
• A talk about ongoing sustainable
energy initiatives with Sara Milles-Lucke (Tara’s Meadow Energy
Intern)
• Participation and presentation at the 7th Annual
Beaver Island Sustainability Fair
- Water Ceremony led by Gennie Morgan (Chippewa Wisdom Keeper)
- Public gardening tour with Heidi Vigil (island resident and food activist)
- Traditional lunch of corn soup, whitefish, and fry bread
- Student demonstration: assembling a composting toilet
- Presentations on ongoing sustainability initiatives
• Daily discussion sessions co-led by pairs of students
•
Daily reflection and journaling
Notable informal and unplanned activities included:
• Sunset campfires and swimming at Donegal Bay
• Solstice
sunset and sunrise watch on June 21
• Guided meditation and
mindfulness session with Sandy Parker (yoga instructor)
• Group
meal at The Shamrock
• Open mic night at The Shamrock
•
Mushroom foraging presentation at the Community Center with Gina
Mangra
(island resident)
• A short visit to the Beaver
Island Retreat, a notable “glamping” resort
• A visit to a fox
farm and composting facility owned by island resident Laura
Valente
• Ice cream at Daddy Frank’s
• Visiting the
thrift shop and art gallery in St. James
• Meeting George
Anthony, author of The Elders Speak, the source for many of our
assigned readings on Indigenous history
• Fishing at Barney’s
Lake (one small-mouth bass, released after catch)
• Swimming
and sunbathing at the CMU beach
• Welcoming Crystal Tunstall
(ENS Affiliate Professor), Justine Kibet (ENS Academic Coordinator)
and their families to the Field School at the end of the week
Course learning objectives
1. Demonstrate how the environment influences sustainability
options on the island (daily discussions).
2. Design a
sustainable solution to a practical problem or need (Tara’s Meadow
charrette).
3. Explain how environment influences culture
(Sustainability Fair presentation).
4. Interpret the
environmental and cultural experiences of the field school (final
paper or project).
Final projects
Students were given a great deal of flexibility
concerning the medium and focus of their final project. The assignment
included these guidelines for the project:
• It should represent a culminating experience for your
participation in the field school
• It should be substantive
enough to count as 30% of the course grade. (Note that the “substance”
of a project is not necessarily reducible to “the quantity of work or
time involved.”)
• It should clearly build upon your experience
in the field school—it should be something that you can only do
because you were on the island with the class.
The students’ final projects included:
• An Artist Conk fungus foraged on the island and engraved with
scenes from the Field School
• A slide show about composting in
the CMU Field Station and at Laura Valente’s fox farm
• A slide
show photo travelogue of the Field School experience
• A photo
and found-object collage representing Field School participants, as
well as an interview for an article in the GVSU publication GVNext
• A set of photo collages representing the Field School
experience
• A mushroom identification page, to be added to the
Beaver Island Field Guide
• A “Rockhound’s Guide to Beaver
Island,” to be added to the Beaver Island Field Guide
• A slide
show on animals encountered on the island, with explanations of their
ecological place
• A collection of rocks gathered on the island
and painted with key scenes from the Field School
• A recorded
60-minute podcast describing the field school to two hosts and their audience
Selected student comments
This experience was a great way to find my main areas of interest
within environmental studies. I recommend this course to anyone in
this field. You get to meet so many people and form so many
connections. —Claire Samberg
My experience with BIFS was more
than I expected. We were welcomed into, and became a part of the
community. Everybody was so supportive of our visions of
sustainability and encouraged us to keep dreaming big ideas. The
island itself was pristine; reminding us all why we study what we do.
It was so motivating! —Megan Halm
The field school was honestly
the most impactful course that I have taken at GVSU so far. The
emphasis on experiential learning is clear, and the activities,
people, and natural wonders of the island leave a lasting impact on
anyone who visits. Still, be sure to prepare for an emotionally,
spiritually, and physically stretching trip before confirming
involvement in the school. —Claire Ureste
Beaver Island is one of
the most incredible places I've ever been. However, what I think truly
made it special was the GVSU program. It connected us with so many
people and places we may not have seen otherwise, and that really made
it the worthwhile experience, both in a learning and personal aspect.
I'm so thankful I was able to go. —Lilian Kostanko
The week I
spent on Beaver Island for the ENS Field School was incredibly
meaningful. It was a truly mutual learning experience, unlike anything
I have been a part of before. Situated on a sandy bay on the east side
of the island, the CMU Biostation is a wonder! The folks Professor
Kelly connected us to were an inspirational reminder that our work
matters, even when it's against tall odds. We were a group of
strangers the morning we left GV but quickly became a community
through the sharing of knowledge, culture, wrong turns, campfires,
trauma, and healing. I won't lie, after the trip I was physically,
mentally, and emotionally exhausted, but I would do it again in a
heartbeat. This adventure will resonate with me for many years to come
and I can't wait to visit again next year as alumni!
—Courtney Allen
You can also read about the Beaver Island Field School on GV Next.