Incarnate Word Sustainability Efforts part of SA300

The San Antonio Tricentennial Commission recently wrote the Ettling Center for Civic Engagement, approving the project proposal for: “Serving in Sustainability Projects, Cultivating Compassionate Care for All of Creation”

 

These are the main ideas of the proposal:

One reason that the beautiful property with abundant trees near the headwaters of the San Antonio River was purchased for a school in 1897 was because the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word  recognized that nature restores people and that people need to learn of nature and learn to care for nature.  This is carried forward in the Sustainability goals, education, and initiatives of the University of the Incarnate Word as a whole and particularly implemented by the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership. The center promotes community service and service learning in community gardening, “Sustainability Scholar” projects, recycling efforts, and the center guides students to work with  Headwaters - a 53 acre nature sanctuary with multiple educational and sustainability projects for people of all ages.  The UIW Engineering Department has developed projects with solar and wind energy and the Ettling Center is encouraging even more student participation.

 

We wish to have 300 hours of service to sustainability initiatives done by various students throughout 2018 under the title “Serving in Sustainability Projects, Cultivating Compassionate Care for All of Creation.”  We are “growing a legacy of service” with many branches of community gardening, a pollination garden, rooting out invasive species and nurturing native plants, documenting trees, on-going research, and other things.  

By the end of the year: 

1) Students will know that Incarnate Word was founded in civic engagement (the mayor wanted people to care for the sick and start a hospital in 1869) and we carry civic engagement and service into the future---they are a part of this

2) Students will have more skills and knowledge in creation care 

3) Students will have more community building skills because they have worked with others for the common good.   

The Ettling Center will provide information where and how service can be done and will track what students have done and their reflections on what they have learned. 

With this approval, all the Incarnate Word sustainability service initiatives are official Tricentennial Project/Events. We may use their logo and the SA300 office will promote our service initiatives through e-blast, website, and calendar, and a volunteer sign up page.

 

In addition to these sustainability efforts, UIW educational events have also been accepted as part of the “Education and History” area of the Tricentennial and the events of  Incarnate Word Sisters, CHRISTUS Health, and UIW have been accepted as Tricentennial Partners.