Restorative Justice through Nature: Elsa Barron '21 and Karli Siefker '21
A baby preying mantis will extend its front legs and make itself appear as tall as possible to fend off a hungry spider. This may seem trivial, or perhaps humorous, and indeed, the group of teenage boys in DePaul Academy’s biology class laughed when they first saw a video of this encounter. But then, when asked to think more about it, the conversation turned to how us humans are similar to the preying mantis – sometimes we act big and tough when we don’t want to get hurt. These students could relate to the insect, and thus, grow in their connection to nature. …
Remote Internships Allow Sustainability Students to Broaden Their Skills While at Home
In spring 2020, like many other students around the world, Notre Dame’s sustainability students were watching their summer internship plans fall through. When Dr. Rachel Novick, Director of Notre Dame’s Sustainability Minor reached out to alumni to see if they had any remote internships opportunities for these students she was met with great support. From a nonprofit focused on sustainable food systems to Knoxville’s sustainability office and a research center at Arizona State, there was a diverse set of new opportunities for sustainability students. For all of the students I spoke with, this was their first remote internship opportunity, and many stepped into fields that they were unfamiliar with. …