Teaching & Research in Environmental Education (TREE)
With the retirement of Dr. Howard Drossman, Founder and Director of the Teaching and Research in Environmental Education (TREE) Semester at Colorado College, the Education Department has decided to pause admission into the program. We will not be accepting applications for the Fall 2025 semester.Dr. Drossman’s leadership and passion for environmental education (EE) at CC and across the nation have been invaluable, and we want to honor the integrity of his work. We are taking this pause to be thoughtful and deliberate about the future of environmental education at Colorado College. We aim to strategically support students interested in EE and envision courses that advance environmental literacy and civic engagement for all students. Please contact Mike Taber, Associate Chair of Education, with any questions.
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The Teaching and Research in Environmental Education (TREE) Semester is a 16-week, residential semester program that mirrors the traditional study abroad experience. Undergraduate students live and learn in community at the scenic Catamount Center in the montane forest outside Woodland Park, Colorado. The TREE Semester is for students of all academic interests, but is specifically designed for those interested in exploring both environmental and educational fields. These scholars will cultivate their own and their K-12 students' conceptions of environmental stewardship and respect for the natural world. Where traditional programs provide only limited teaching opportunities, the TREE Semester allows undergraduates to learn about their students' development through almost 100 hours of experiential teaching. Undergraduate students will learn by simultaneously teaching and researching how K-12 students develop. Our educational research informs our teaching and our teaching informs our research in a cycle of virtuous learning.
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2020 TREE Semester students, fellows, and faculty |
