Elizabeth Swords’ final year as a Pathfinder Fellow involved consulting on a sustainability project for the City of Ferguson as part of the “Sustainability Exchange” course.
My involvement in the Pathfinder Fellows in Environmental Leadership program profoundly shaped the first two years of my undergraduate experience (read more about Year 1 and Year 2). This multi-year Ampersand program combines coursework, fieldwork, and community engagement to equip students with the knowledge and experience to address environmental challenges.
Last fall, I began my final course in the program: “Sustainability Exchange.” While this course is required for all Pathfinder Fellows, it is also open to the broader WashU undergraduate community. Working in project teams, students engage with a community-identified, environmental project. My team was paired with the City of Ferguson to complete the first phase of a long-term initiative focused on the sustainable development of West Florissant Avenue. We were tasked with creating actionable recommendations for infrastructure that meets the needs and desires of residents.
A team of students participating in the “Sustainability Exchange” worked with community stakeholders to propose infrastructure recommendations for a section on West Florissant Avenue, as shown in red.
We used a mixed-methods research approach that included conducting literature reviews, in-person site observations, and stakeholder interviews; attending City Council meetings; and distributing public surveys. We prioritized speaking with a wide range of community stakeholders, including residents, business owners, and local officials, to understand their diverse perspectives on what a revitalized West Florissant Avenue should look like.
During our research, a few key themes emerged: improvements to food access and quality, environmental quality, pedestrian safety, transportation, property ownership, and community spaces. For our final deliverable, we prepared a presentation and a comprehensive written report for the City of Ferguson with proposals for potential approaches to addressing these issues, informed by case studies from similar cities across the United States. Our suggestions included creating vegetative barriers between sidewalks and roadways, adjusting the timing of pedestrian crosswalks, expanding the number of public waste bins, and establishing a community land trust to increase property ownership among Ferguson residents.
The iterative nature of “Sustainability Exchange” ensures that projects continue beyond any single semester. My team was the first to take on West Florissant Avenue, and our work will now serve as the foundation for future students to build on.
I recommend every undergraduate take a course like “Sustainability Exchange,” which emphasizes experiential learning. Unlike any class I had taken before, “Sustainability Exchange” replaced lectures and traditional class time with brainstorming sessions, collaborative problem-solving, research, and active engagement with clients and stakeholders. Working directly with a community partner to understand and address their needs proved to be an invaluable learning experience.
It’s hard to believe I’m beginning my senior year, which means I’ve completed the full Pathfinder course sequence. I am so grateful for all the opportunities this program has provided — from my first time camping to traveling to Madagascar to taking on consulting work. In fact, I have the Pathfinder program to thank for introducing me to the opportunity to be an Arts & Sciences Communications Intern and getting to write stories like this one!
Although my time in the Pathfinder program has come to an end, I will hold onto the lessons, memories, and relationships it has given me.
Read about other Ampersand Programs:
A year in the life of a Pathfinder Fellow: Journey to Madagascar: The second installment in our series on the Pathfinder Fellows program.
A year in the life of a Pathfinder Fellow: A sense of place: The first installment in this series on the Pathfinder Fellows program.
The art and science of cancer care: An inside look at the Hallmarks of Cancer and Patient Care program.
We are all migrants to WashU: Student Gené Nieuwoudt writes about the Safe Asylum program.
Digging into the American dream: Student Conrad Lewis writes about the Examining America program.
Biotech and beyond: Student Gaby Smith shares her experience in the Biotech Explorers Pathway (BEP) program.
