ENR Scholars cultivates a supportive and welcoming community within Ohio State, serves the environment on our campus and beyond, prepares tomorrow’s professionals and leaders through experiential learning, and nurtures connections to nature and outdoor adventure.
The ENR Scholars Program focuses on environmental issues in our society and using innovative thinking to solve these problems. Students will be introduced to a variety of campus and community resources related to leadership, service, study abroad, internships, careers, and research.
Academics
ENR Scholars Seminar introduces participants to the themes of environmental issues, sustainability, wildlife management, ecosystem restoration, energy, and more. Students will learn to think critically about environmental issues and create innovative solutions to these issues. Students also learn about resources on and off of campus related to environmental sustainability they can use to further their interest in the environment.
First Year Requirements
In the first year of the ENR Scholars Program, students will form a basis of understanding about environmental issues and possible solutions to these issues. Students will connect with their peers, faculty members, and environmental professionals to think about these issues. They will also participate in hands-on activities, recreational opportunities, and service projects to connect them with the natural world.
Second Year Requirements
In the second year of the ENR Scholars Program, students will continue to explore environmental issues, but with more of a critical eye. Students will be expected to become more individually connected to their interest in the environment through involvement in student organizations, leadership activities, and service projects outside of ENR Scholars.
Events and Activities
The ENR Scholars participate in multiple experiences both on and off campus.
Signature Programs
- Fall Camping Trip - Every September, ENR Scholars travel to Hocking Hills State Park for a weekend camping trip. They participate in team building activities, hike in the park, cook over the campfire, and bond with their fellow ENR Scholars.
- Fall Break Trip – During Fall Break, ENR Scholars have the opportunity to participate in a trip exploring some of Ohio’s parks. Previous trips have included 2-3 day backpacking expeditions, camping in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and hiking in various state and local parks.
- Spring Camping Trip – In March, ENR Scholars travel to a central Ohio state park for a weekend camping trip. The trip is planned and led by Leadership Council students and supported by the program manager.
- Tours of local environmental facilities - Students have the opportunity to visit places like Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, Waterman Farm, Chadwick Arboretum, the Insectary, and the Columbus Zoo to gain a better understanding of current environmental research being performed at Ohio State and beyond.
Community
ENR Scholars builds a welcoming, supportive, and cohesive community among all participants through outdoor recreation, ecological stewardship, and environmental education.
Leadership Council
The ENR Scholars leadership council is composed of first- and second-year students who assist in planning events centered around four program pillars: conservation, service, community, and adventure. The leadership council is led by the program manager and two paid student executive officers who offer support in planning and carrying out student-led programming.
Community Meetings
First and second year students will participate in regular community meetings together.
Mentoring Program
All first- and second-year students are organized into families based on shared interests. Families are led by community ambassadors, leadership council members in charge of planning regular weekly events, including study sessions, dinners, and game nights, to bring the Scholars community together.
Service
ENR Scholars are required to complete four hours of service per semester in their first and second years in the program. Scholars will be provided with opportunities to engage in environmental service activities with local organizations such as Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW), the Columbus department of Recreation and Parks, and the Olentangy River Wetlands facility. Service events include river clean-ups, invasive plant removals, tree plantings, service in local community gardens, and more. Service opportunities offered outside of the program may also be counted toward the ENR Scholars service requirement.
Residential Requirement
First-year Environment and Natural Resources Scholars students live together in Morrill Tower.
The residential community is an important element of the Scholars experience, and is required for all students with the exception of commuter students. Space in the prescribed residence hall is subject to availability, and while Scholars are given housing priority, space is not guaranteed and students may be placed in other accommodations due to program demand if necessary.
All Scholars
While each of the 16 Scholars Programs builds experiences for students around its unique theme, students benefit from shared Scholars experiences. All Scholars Programs:
- Are open to students of any major.
- Feature a first-year residential community.
- Have a first-year seminar course.
- Are led by an experienced full-time professional Program Manager.
- Are academically-driven communities with a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 to participate.
- Have a student leadership council, offering leadership opportunities, community programming, and service projects.