Learning by Doing

Before coming to NC State, student Joe Endrws had never touched a power saw. Now, the wooden birdhouse he built during his first few weeks on campus is helping attract birds and deter insects at a university farm.

Not bad for your first woodworking project.

Endrws is among 89 students who participated in the first-year course for residents of <a href=”https://ecovillage.dasa.ncsu.edu/”>EcoVillage</a>, NC State’s sustainability-focused living and learning community. During this 8-week class, students learn about sustainability in the classroom and ‒ for the first time this semester ‒ through sustainability-related service including building birdhouses, garden beds, removing invasive plant species and managing compost collection.

“I want EcoVillage students to have the opportunity to apply what they are learning in class to real-world sustainability projects,” said Meghan Teten, EcoVillage director. “They get to work with campus partners on these projects, which is good practice for their future careers, and they get to reflect on their experiences, which reinforces their connections to sustainability.”