Warren Wilson college: Modeling sustainability through a triad of education

Abstract

Warren Wilson College, a liberal arts college in western North Carolina, has been pioneering sustainability education for many years. Situated on an 1,100-acre campus that includes a large managed forest, a working farm, and organic garden, Warren Wilson is an ideal laboratory for innovative teaching and learning. The college’s relative success can be traced to its Triad of academics, work, and service, and its unique status as a work college; to its history of self-reliance and environmental awareness; and to its engagement of students in every level of decision-making. Together, students, staff, and faculty labor to engage sustainability thinking in ways that positively affect both the campus and the wider communities.