In Summer 2023, the School of the Environment will take place on the campus of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California.
Monterey, California, is a microcosm of the world’s environmental challenges and an exemplar of sustainability planning. This summer, build your capacities for problem solving and leadership in Monterey with the Middlebury School of the Environment.
For six weeks Monterey will be our laboratory for exploring the world’s most pressing needs. For example:
- Climate resilience
- Food Justice
- Restoration of marine ecosystems
- Urban sustainability
- Political and social commitment to change
Monterey, California, exists at two poles. On one hand, it is among the wealthiest communities in the United States. It’s progressive environmental ethic is visible through plentiful organic foods and farms, easy access to nature and wilderness, renewable energy development, electric car charging stations, outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities, a multitude of environmental organizations and other common symbols of environmental progress.
On the other hand, as the breadbasket of America, environmental impacts from farming are severe. Water is in short supply and drought conditions persist. Working conditions for farm laborers are substandard. Inequality also runs high, as pockets of wealth and poverty exist side-by-side. Monterey Bay’s marine ecosystem is world class, but the pacific garbage patch swirls just a few miles off the coast. And every summer wildfires burn in the mountains.
At the Middlebury School of the Environment, we welcome complexity. We see two Monterey, Californias. The first, bucolic and sustainable. The other, challenged by wicked problems.
The dichotomy visible in Monterey highlights the principle challenge that we face as environmental leaders. That is, weaving multiple realities into one, united around our common planet. Join us in summer 2023 to develop your skill set for meeting this goal.
The Middlebury School of the Environment offers a six-week place-based curriculum in sustainability and leadership. You will earn credit for three Middlebury College courses which are transferable back to your home institution.
Dates
June 9 – July 21
Students should await specific instructions before purchasing airline tickets.
Fees
The fee is $10,900 per student, which includes instructional expenses, accommodation, field trip expenses, breakfasts and dinners.
There will be financial aid available on a first come, first served basis. Funding does run out, so apply early!
Please note: the Middlebury Institute of International Studies grants affiliation scholarships for graduate students who have already attended other Middlebury programs. If you are interested in pursuing an eventual graduate degree at MIIS, your participation on the Middlebury School of the Environment would automatically make you eligible for a scholarship of $5,000.
Housing
Students will live in a newly-renovated dorm, a ten minute walk from the MIIS campus and within easy walking distance to grocery stores and restaurants. The dorm has double rooms and plenty of shared space for cooking and socializing.
