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On a sunny May afternoon, a group of Loyola undergraduates wearing waders stared intently into a shallow pond. Suddenly, one of them plunged a net into the water and reached in to retrieve a large, green bullfrog. She held her new amphibious friend up for the delighted group to examine before gently returning the creature to the pond.
This type of up-close interaction with wildlife is a big part of the appeal of the School of Environmental Sustainability’s immersive “Maymester” courses at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus (LUREC). For three weeks in May, students live and study at the 100-acre campus near Woodstock, Illinois, completing the equivalent of one semester-long course on an environmental topic. SES faculty members designed the hands-on courses to include field trips, laboratory activities, and plenty of time outdoors.
“We go to different terrains and biomes with drastically different ecological histories. And I think observing those in person helped me connect to the content a lot better,” said environmental science major Brandi Heglar (BS ’26).
Heglar took Principles of Ecology with Associate Professor Ray Dybzinski. Dybzinski said LUREC offers an ideal setting for the course.
“Taking this class at LUREC, learning ecology in an ecological setting, is going to give students an understanding of how these systems work that’s deep inside their core,” he said.
Dybzinski said some of the students in his class will go on to become ecologists, while most will work in other fields connected to sustainability. He said the course will provide them all with essential fundamental knowledge.
“As they become informed citizens and professionals out in the world, making a difference for our planet and our people, they’ll need to understand how natural systems actually work, and I think having this hands-on experience at LUREC sets them up for that,” he said.
This year’s offerings also included a new, more advanced course titled Professional Credentials and Training for Ecologists. To develop the class, Assistant Professor Brian Ohsowski consulted with professional ecologists to determine the qualifications they would look for in job applicants, and he designed the class around their suggestions.
“I’m trying to empower our students to get actual state and federal level certifications that will make them more marketable as ecologists or restoration ecologists in the region or across the country,” he said.
Ohsowski led a group of 16 students through the process of earning Illinois Boating Safety Certificate, FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, NOLS Wilderness First Aid Certificate, and Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training. The students also learned practical skills for field researchers, such as how to tie knots, assess forest volume, and navigate with a compass.
Anna Leigh Tangeman (BS, BA ’26) said she values the opportunity to build practical career skills.
“This class has given me the biggest boost in terms of looking for work later. I have so many certifications that employers are looking for,” she said. “I have the thing to put on my resume, but I also really know how to use it.”
Environmental science major Andromeda Nerge, (BS ’26) said the hands-on experience helped them envision a future career.
“This is wonderful, especially for science majors that want to be in the field or want to do research. We’re learning how to do the kinds of things that we’ll actually be doing in our jobs. And we get to do fun outdoor activities too in our free time,” they said.
Class participants expressed appreciation for both the educational and social aspects of the intensive three-week course structure.
“We all eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. We’re all hanging out in the same spaces. You really get to know the people that you’re here with,” said Midas Fugett (BS ’27), who is majoring environmental science with a concentration in environmental health.
Ohsowski said that for many students, taking a class at LUREC becomes a highlight of their college experience.
“By the last day of classes, they’ve often made friends for life,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity, and I’ve had many students who have taken classes out here come to me several years later saying how memorable their LUREC experience is.”
William Hogarth (BS ’26) said he would recommend the LUREC classes to other students.
“The experience of being at LUREC is something that you’re not going to find almost anywhere else, especially in the Chicagoland area,” he said. “I think that this is a very unique class and a very unique experience.”
Read more stories from the School of Environmental Sustainability.
