Celebrating excellence in sustainability with University Colloquium
October 06, 2025 / First and Last Name
Colloquium Team: Left to right, Marco Acosta (Colloquium Director), Rachel Sheffey (Coordinator), and Joe Ross (Undergraduate Studies Director) in front of a burgeoning papaya tree in the FGCU Food Forest.
For nearly 25 years, University Colloquium has been empowering students to examine environmental challenges, become engaged citizens, and apply sustainability practices in their personal and professional lives.
It was one of the first sustainability courses in the nation to be a graduation requirement, reflecting FGCU’s lasting commitment to environmental education and civic responsibility.
Since 2024, the sustainability course graduation requirement (SCGR) has expanded to include a growing list of courses across the University, spanning disciplines as diverse as Entrepreneurship, Health Sciences, Philosophy, and Theatre.
Colloquium features a variety of field experiences to engage students in the practical applications of course concepts, each led by experienced Campus Naturalists, community partners, or instructors.
Classes have visited sites like FGCU’s Food Forest, Lee County’s Waste-to-Energy Plant, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, and Lovers Key State Park. This hands-on learning highlights our local community and invigorates FGCU’s deep connection to Southwest Florida.
Through Colloquium and other SCGR courses, FGCU demonstrates its leadership in uniting student success with sustainability and global responsibility.
Naturalists: Left to right, Vania Azevedo, Ani Harutyuyan, Marco Acosta, Allison Goodwin, Chad Evers, Iris Brown, Alessia Leathers, and Sebastian Aspron caught in a downpour during training at Vester Marine.
Students from every program emerge better equipped to become engaged, informed professionals and citizens, ready to address the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
For additional information, visit: fgcu.edu/colloquium.
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