Last week, I got to participate in AASHE's Sustainability Across the Curriculum Leadership Workshop held at San Diego State University. AASHE hosts this energizing two-day workshop for faculty and staff in higher ed. twice a year with the help and talents of Peggy Barlett from Emory University and Geoff Chase from San Diego State University. I must say that the good rumors are true: it was awesome. As someone from outside of academia, I have a much more informed perspective of the complex and often daunting challenges, as well as hope that faculty who wish to incorporate issues of sustainability across their curriculum face. The idea of this kind of transformation in curriculum blows my mind to begin with. Creating space for more holistic and systems thinking, and allowing the dialogue for this is so exciting, and are goals that I am encouraged to hope for. Our leaders skillfully “set the table for conversation” among participants - at least 12 completely different disciplines were represented, and guided them through various topics and small group discussion. I took part in groups as frustrations surfaced and were shared, educational and curricular goals were created, and ideas for community building across a campus were exchanged. I walked away exhausted and hopeful, and glad AASHE provides a forum in which people with passion for learning and healing come together to work towards a truly great transformation of education.

To find out about upcoming workshops you can visit our site here: http://www.aashe.org/profdev/curriculum.php