Across academic disciplines, students at Samford University are gaining firsthand experience with conservation, ecological research and environmental decision-making. Through fieldwork, community partnerships and interdisciplinary study, Samford is preparing students to address environmental challenges while developing a deeper understanding of their responsibility to steward God's creation.
Anthony Overton, professor and chair of Samford's Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and director of the Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM) graduate program, helps lead academic offerings that connect scientific knowledge with practical experience.
"Students in Samford's Environmental Science and MSEM programs gain the scientific knowledge, research skills and real-world experience needed to tackle today's most pressing environmental challenges," Overton said. "Our faculty's diverse expertise, ranging from conservation and natural resource management to environmental policy and field-based research, provides students with a well-rounded perspective on the discipline."
For Kristin Bakkegard, Paul N. Propst Professor of Natural Sciences, environmental education begins with helping students recognize the importance of biodiversity and the relationships between living organisms and their environments.
"I am always talking about biodiversity, how wonderful it is and why it is important," Bakkegard said. "We need biodiversity more than it needs us."
That understanding comes to life through field experiences that introduce students to Alabama's diverse ecosystems and the organizations working to protect them.
In Bakkegard's invertebrate zoology course, students participate in a daylong field trip to the Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center, which focuses on the research and restoration of Alabama's rare and endangered freshwater mussels and snails.
Alabama is home to approximately 180 freshwater mussel species, giving the state the greatest freshwater mussel diversity in the United States. Students learn about conservation challenges and efforts to restore native populations before exploring Perry Lakes Park and hiking to the Cahaba River.
"Students can interact with the people doing the work and perhaps be inspired to go into conservation biology," Bakkegard said.
Other field experiences bring students closer to campus.
Shades Creek, which borders Samford, serves as an outdoor laboratory for field biology courses. Students examine local ecosystems and the relationships between wildlife, water quality and human activity.
In vertebrate zoology, students help monitor spotted salamander populations by counting egg masses in breeding ponds near Samford's intramural fields. These observations provide data about which ponds the salamanders use for reproduction, helping inform habitat protection and restoration efforts.
"These egg mass counts have proved pivotal in providing quality data on exactly what breeding ponds are being used by the salamanders so that these ponds can be protected," Bakkegard said.
Students also visit the Alabama Wildlife Center, where they observe efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release native wild birds, gaining insight into careers in veterinary medicine, environmental science and wildlife rehabilitation.
Beyond formal coursework, Samford encourages students to pursue internships and service opportunities with environmental organizations throughout Birmingham.
Students have participated in internships with organizations such as Freshwater Land Trust and the Cahaba River Coalition, gaining exposure to environmental monitoring and habitat restoration. Others participate in the annual Friends of Shades Creek Cleanup Day, helping protect the waterway bordering campus.
Bakkegard also involves students in the Friends of Shades Creek Salamander Festival, where they introduce visitors to local salamander species and engage with environmental professionals. The festival attracted more than 1,000 attendees last year.
"These experiences allow students to connect the theory learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world applications," Bakkegard said.
Overton emphasized that internships, field research and community partnerships help students translate classroom learning into professional opportunities. He pointed to a recent student whose internship with a local environmental firm led to full-time employment and an eventual promotion to a supervisory position.
"These opportunities help students develop professional skills, apply scientific knowledge, and build connections within the environmental profession," Overton said.
Samford's commitment to environmental education also extends beyond the biological sciences.
At Cumberland School of Law, the Land Use & Natural Resources Law Center provides opportunities for students to examine how law and public policy influence environmental protection, land development and the responsible use of natural resources.
Blake Hudson, dean of Cumberland School of Law and Ethel P. Malugen Chair of Law, sees environmental stewardship as an expression of Samford's Christian mission.
Hudson said promoting sustainability means ensuring future generations have continued access to resources essential for human flourishing, an objective he connects with Samford's mission of loving God and loving others.
Through the center's recently established fellows program, law students develop policy white papers addressing community issues. Initial projects included work proposed by The Nature Conservancy and an examination of federal policies affecting housing costs.
The center has also introduced a study abroad program in Iceland, where students engage with policymakers and scholars on international environmental issues. The addition of urban planning specialist William Holt as associate director has helped expand environmental and land use-related course offerings.
"Environmental law and policy stand at the intersection of the humanities and the hard sciences," Hudson said. "You need to understand both in order to craft policies ensuring the protection of Creation."
That interdisciplinary perspective reflects Samford's approach to education, encouraging students to consider environmental challenges through scientific, legal, ethical and theological lenses.
Bakkegard similarly views environmental stewardship as connected to Samford's Christian identity. She believes studying the natural world can deepen students' appreciation for creation while encouraging them to approach environmental challenges responsibly.
"I do think we are called to take care of the natural world and live within it, not to dominate, but to share," Bakkegard said.
Overton also emphasized the distinctive opportunities Samford students have to study environmental science in one of the nation's most biologically diverse regions.
"Samford University environmental science students are uniquely blessed to study within a biodiversity hotspot, one of the most biologically diverse and ecologically important regions in the world," Overton said. "Through these immersive experiences, students develop scientific expertise, environmental responsibility and a faith-informed commitment to caring for God's creation, preparing them to become ethical leaders and effective stewards of the natural world."
Whether studying wildlife populations, participating in conservation initiatives or examining environmental policy, Samford students are learning to apply their education in ways that protect natural resources and benefit communities.
Through academic instruction, hands-on research and opportunities for service, Samford continues preparing students to become informed professionals and responsible stewards of God's creation.
