Poster

Title: The Three Rivers Center at Macalester College: An Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Higher Education and Scholarship Project:

Authors:
Daniel J. Hornbach, Department of Environmental Studies, Macalester College, and David Lanegran, Department of Geography, Macalester College

Abstract:
The Twin Cities of Minnesota, home to Macalester College, provides a unique opportunity for students to gain an appreciation of the history of environmental impacts on river systems in the US. Within 20 miles of the Macalester campus there are 3 major rivers with sharp environmental contrasts: the Mississippi River, running through the heart of the urban context of the Twin Cities; the Minnesota River, draining much of the western agricultural areas of the state, and; the St. Croix River, one of the original eight National Wild and Scenic Rivers . In July 2007, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has provided the funding to establish the Three Rivers Center . The aim of the Center is four-fold: to innovate, assess and refine curriculum that takes advantage of the diverse learning opportunities the Three Rivers offer; to extend conventional instruction into the field through field-based modules integrated into courses and through student-faculty research collaborations undertaken primarily in the summer; to upgrade existing instructional and research facilities and capacities to support the initiative; and to establish and upgrade the human infrastructure for learning, including the creation of long-term partnerships with community groups, academic entities and government. In this poster presentation we will provide an overview of the progress of the Center to date. These include the development of new courses, student-faculty collaborative research projects, and collaborations with local partners and expansion of our GIS facilities.