ETE Scholars

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We are a living-learning program focused on integrating sustainable development into student's lives and curricula and part of College Park Scholars.

The Environment, Technology, and Economy program of College Park Scholars (ETE) welcomes academically talented students of all majors who are interested in investigating the multiple dimensions of global sustainability, particularly in relation to their own majors. Each semester, our faculty engages our community in the most up-to-date developments in global sustainability -- from the growth of the green business ventures, to technological advances in clean energy production, to human impacts on endangered species. In ETE, we strive to educate our students not just on sustainability, but also on how to be better students, university citizens, and professionals. Students live together in the Cambridge Community and student exploration will extend beyond the classroom through field trips, internships, on-campus events, and community service. Visit our ETE weebly site: www.etescholars.weebly.com

10/19/2026

"Mental health is important." We say this every week at the start of colloquium.

A growing body of scientific evidence shows that spending time in nature benefits our cognitive and emotional health. Last week, we held our sophomore colloquium in the Wooded Hillock, where students engaged in mindfulness and play, two forms of connecting with nature.

"It was also a good reminder that it is ok to do nothing and simply be present, because taking care of mental health is just as important as any assignment," wrote one student in their reflection assignment.

Another wrote: "I think I will make more time in my days to spend more time outside this semester, no phone, no notes, just spending some time listening to the quiet parts of campus."

Of course, sometimes our mental health needs more than time outside. You can learn more about UMD's mental health resources at mentalhealth.umd.edu.

10/07/2026

A misty morning on the Anacostia River. Although this river has been significantly degraded since the arrival of Europeans over four centuries ago, it retains undeniable beauty. Many thanks to the thousands of people who have worked to preserve and restore the Anacostia and its watershed.

College Park Scholars

10/05/2026

ETE Scholars are going places! Specifically, to DC. From College Park. On bikes.

Along the 15-mile route, we learned about the history of the Anacostia watershed and the people who live(d) there. It's a story of racism and environmental degradation... and also a story of beauty, joy, resilience, healing, and the ongoing fight for justice.

09/30/2026

Spending time in nature supports our cognitive and emotional health. The Wooded Hillock offers a green refuge just a few minutes' walk from the Cambridge Community. This wooded area was spared from development in the late 1990s, when students and faculty rallied for its preservation. Later, ETE students secured funding to build a trail through the woods.

On a recent field trip, spent a few hours connecting with nature in the Wooded Hillock. We sat still, we documented small wonders, and we used tools like Merlin, iNaturalist, and good, old-fashioned keys to get to know the non-human residents of campus.

University of Maryland Arboretum and Botanical Garden
SustainableUMD

09/20/2026

A highlight of a day at the Bay with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is the chance to hold Maryland's official state crustacean — the blue crab!

This iconic species faces many challenges, including climate change, introduced predators, nutrient pollution, shoreline development, and overfishing. We learned how the actions we take — individually and collectively — influence the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the many creatures (including humans!) who live there.

College Park Scholars

09/18/2026

Our first field trip of the season! We traveled to the headquarters of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Annapolis, Maryland. We toured the Philip Merrill Environmental Center (the first LEED-platinum building in the world!), sampled biodiversity in Black Walnut Creek, enjoyed lunch on the beach, and finished with a paddle up Black Walnut Creek to perform some water quality tests. We left with renewed appreciation of the Chesapeake Bay.

College Park Scholars

09/14/2026

Congratulations to ETE Junior Alumni Alex Heng, Ryan Budinick, Preston Jackman, Mario Dajani, and Connor Weisman! They achieved a goal they've been working on since the spring of their first year -- the revitalization of a rain garden at the University of Maryland Golf Course.

In CPET101, they drafted a grant proposal requesting funds to bring more native biodiversity to the UMD Golf Course. They later submitted a revised version of their grant proposal to UMD's Sustainability Fund and were awarded the money to implement their idea.

This weekend, with help from current , these students planted over 200 native plants in a rain garden between the clubhouse parking lot and University Boulevard.

Laura Russell, who directs special projects at the golf course, says the revitalized garden will "not only improve the beauty of the golf course property, but will also help protect water quality and contribute to a healthier Anacostia watershed."

Many thanks to and for supporting ETE students and helping them making this idea a reality!

College Park Scholars
SustainableUMD

09/11/2026

Shout-out to the ETE Peer Mentors! Thanks for all you've done in the past two weeks to support incoming in their transition to college. We're so grateful for your contributions!

College Park Scholars

09/08/2026

A big thanks to our partners at the Upper Marlboro Research and Education Center for hosting ETE Scholars on Service Day this year! We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in your projects and to learn how you support farmers and fresh food access in Central Maryland.

College Park Scholars
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources - University of Maryland

09/03/2026

"None of us want to see a tomato ever again" declared the spokesperson for the group tasked with extracting seeds out of thousands of heirloom tomatoes on Service Day. The work helps AGNR researcher Dr. Daniel Rodriguez Leal in his efforts to breed disease-resistant heirloom tomatoes.

College Park Scholars
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources - University of Maryland

Address

4201 Valley Drive
College Park, MD
20742

Telephone

+13013141520

Website

http://www.scholars.umd.edu/programs/ete

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