Welcome to ESPM 1001!

The Saint Paul Campus

(Photo credts: University of Minnesota)

Aerial photo of the St. Paul campus featuring the research fields and water tower

Information about your instructor | Discussions about the Course

This course will consist of one weekly meeting and three optional field trips.

Course content will be posted to this Course Canvas Site.

Student Canvas Resources:
- Student Canvas Resources information

COURSE FORMAT

WEEKLY MEETINGS: Synchronous, On-line, Remote format using ZOOM

DAY: Tuesday

TIMES: 7:00-8:50 PM

FIELD TRIPS: In person, outside on Saint Paul Campus

DAYS: Saturdays, 26 September, 3 October and 10 October

TIMES: 9:30--11:20 AM (meeting time on Saint Paul Campus)

About this course

This is a student-centered discussion format course. During each weekly meeting the topic(s) we will work on will be introduced, and discussions in small-groups will occur. Each small group will appoint a person (or persons) to summarize your group discussion back to the class as-a-whole. For this format to be successful (and meaningful to you) you will need to be actively involved in the small group discussions, and to periodically volunteer to summarize your group discussion!

In addition to participating in your small group,

You are responsible for reading official course Announcements. The most recent 3 announcements will appear at the top of this page. All announcements are available in the left navigation bar.
If you have a question about this course, post it to the Ask a Question about this Course discussion. This not a confidential post site. It open to all and posting is an inclusive activity. Others in the class are encouraged to provide answers or perspectives.
If your question is confidential, contact me using "Ask Your Instructor a Question" in the Help menu in the maroon side bar on the left.

Start here

To begin, go to Getting started in this course.

Course Activities and Modules

Resources
September 8: Introductions; Activities in Addition to ESPM; locating and downloading research and educational resources
September 15: Syllabus and Structure of the ESPM Degree
September 22: Minors and/or Dual Majors; Initial planning for first field trip to Saint Paul Campus (26 September)
September 26: First Field Trip to Saint Paul Campus
September 29: Initial planning for Faculty Interview; Follow-up of First Field Trip; Planning for Second Field Trip
October 3: Second Field Trip to Saint Paul Campus
October 6: CFANS Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion; Follow-up Planning for Faculty Interview; Second Field Trip Follow-up, Planning for Third Field Trip.
October 10: Third Field Trip to Saint Paul Campus
October13: After You Graduate--- Job or Another Degree? Professional School versus Graduate School; Next step for Faculty Interview. Next steps for analyzing data from field trip
October 20: Questions for Your Faculty Interview? Is Research an Option for You? How do you enjoy a National Park? (Management for specific Uses)
October 27: Introduction to Internships. Reading & Interpreting Announcements of Internships or Jobs. Where Would You Like to Travel?
November 3: Re-visiting "Where would you like to Travel." What is a Cover Letter and a CV? Your Accomplishments
November 10: Next Step for your Faculty Interview Assignment. Re-visiting management of National Parks
November 17: Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
November 24: ESPM: Successes and Shortcomings
December 1: Student Jobs, University Honors Program, Contract Courses, Revisiting Opportunities for Graduate School.
December 8: Guest Speaker, finishing your Faculty Interview.
December 15: Looking back over this semester, and the into the future!

In this course we will focus on:

(1) Understanding the ESPM degree program, associated careers, and enrichment opportunities by providing you with information on and links to course offerings, graduation requirements, student organizations, scholarship opportunities, research possibilities, study abroad programs, summer jobs, and internship programs. We will also explore issues related to your intended field of study. This orientation is organized to help you determine if ESPM is a good major for you early during your University experience, reinforcing your decision or helping you explore other options. During our weekly meeting you will break into small groups for discussion and brainstorming, and will designate a person or persons to report back to the class on topics and ideas discussed by group members.

(2) Cultivating Confidence and First-Year Survival Skills by introducing you to University resources and services, such as the Student Services Office, Learning Abroad Center, and the St. Paul Campus Career Center. The University offers many services, and it’s up to you to seek out assistance when needed. But, you can’t do that unless you know where to go for help and the types of services the University offers, and in this course you will learn where to locate commonly-used services.

(3) Creating a Sense of Belonging by providing you an early opportunity to meet and interact with other first-year students in the degree program, learn about the ESPM student mentors, our faculty, selected staff, and professionals employed within an area of ESPM. Research shows that faculty-to-student and student-to-student relationships are among the most important factors in becoming a successful college student and we will work on ways to enhance these relationships.

(4) Building student skill levels with computer-based tools by introducing students to new information technologies used in environmental fields. You will use these tools in other courses throughout your time in the ESPM program. The first step is by using our class Canvas Site! We will also spend some time working with EXCEL to encourage you to build or improve your skills using this software to computerize and manage data.

(5) Working as part of an interdisciplinary team on results from field trip modules, and we will discuss a real-world activity dealing with “Management of a National Park.” We will visit this topic several times during the semester to illustrate how different tracks within our degree contribute to the process of managing a national park. We will use one example of a National Park in another country!