Project-Based Action Learning for Earth Regeneration - October 2009

Gaia University Graduates,
October '09

Summertown, Tennesee


October 2nd marked the largest Gaia University graduation ceremony yet! Congratulations to BSc graduates Benjamin Griffin, Connor Stedman and Kurt Belser; MSc graduates Ben Jones and Mary Ellen Bowen; and Graduate Diploma recipient Eden Vardy.

MSc Graduate, Ben Jones, is founder and director of the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farms Institute (VISFI), which will host its first Gaia U International Orientation December 1 - 9. Ben is also the creator of Beneficial Consultants (BC). Beneficial Consultants offers community-building support,  land management and organic farming services, and mission and vision facilitation. BC also offers specialist advising to Gaia U associates.

Interested in finding out about the projects of our other recent graduates?


 
 
Financial Permaculture:
Bridging the Gap



This year’s Financial Permaculture Summit in Hohenwald, Tennessee, themed ‘Greening a Rural American Community’, explored various ways that permaculture and business designers can learn from each other.

Gaia U Advisory Board Member, Albert Bates, opened the weekend with a session that introduced the key steps to becoming a Transition Town. The Transition Town Movement was started by Rob Hopkins in Southern England, and promotes participatory, community-driven sustainability initiatives. Transition Towns look to the issues of peak oil and climate change as the primary motivators to help them to become more localized, resilient communities. The introduction of this topic at the summit sparked much discussion about how to organize in places where there is still heated debate over the direct relevance of climate change to small communities.

 
Carbon Farming Intensive:
Regenerating the Earth's Soils


Last month the first Gaia University affiliated Carbon Farming Intensive took place at the Ecovillage Training Center in Summertown, Tennessee. The six-part curriculum explored the holistic management of soil, water, carbon, energy and the economy in the context of carbon negative agriculture. Carbon farming is a system of agricultural design that returns carbon to the soil for increased soil health and agricultural production.

The intensive was led by a cadre of highly accomplished instructors on the cutting edge of sustainable farming development, including Joel Salatin, Dr. Elaine Ingham, Kirk Gadzia, Darren Doherty, Brad Lancaster and Eric Toensmeier.

Read more

 
 Degree Pathways

 BSc Programs
MSc Programs
Post Masters Programs
Dates & Venues in 09

Gaia U now on Twitter and Facebook!

Gaia University now has a live Twitter account for all things Gaia - follow us at twitter.com/Gaia_University.

You can also find us on Facebook - just follow this link!



New Director of Advisory Services



Valerie Seitz

Valerie Seitz has been an indispensable member of the Gaia U International team since its pioneering days. Co-founder of Gaia U Southeast (Gaia SEUS) in Tennessee, Valerie has most recently taken on the role of Director of Advisory Services. Several years of experience as a highly effective Gaia U advisor have informed her approach to this new position. Valerie has strategically created new communication and design flows by establishing advising ‘guilds’ through which advisors share their experiences and insights with each other and capture that feedback for the further development of Gaia U.

 

“Working for Gaia University is never boring; it always brings you to your edge and creates tons of learning experiences. It is a joyful ongoing learning process within a worldwide community, a very special system with a lot of freedom that resonates with my need to think and act on my own. Yet when I need support, it is there! At Gaia University, I feel at home. I find it so inspiring — with tons of outlets for my creativity and thinking."

                         
         
                Read more


2009 Gaia U International Programs

VISFI, US
Virgin Islands Sustainable Farms Institute

 

Gaia U Orientation
December 1 - 9
   
(St. Croix, Virgin Islands)


Extension Workshops
December 9 -13

Re-Evaluation Counseling Fundamentals Workshop   
December 14 -17
open to the public


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