FAMU student heads to leadership program in Switzerland

Viniece Jennings, a Ph.D. candidate in the FAMU Environmental Sciences Institute, was selected to participate in the Youth Encounter to Sustainability (YES) course in Switzerland.

The program has operated since 2000 in different parts of the world with the goal to bring together a diverse group of motivated future leaders for learning, discussing and debating urgent questions of a sustainable future.

“I am very honored to participate in this exceptional learning experience,” said Jennings. “I look forward to developing my perspective on sustainability, my research, teaching strategies, and other skills that will enhance my overall development.”

The competitive course is for students from different parts of the world and different fields of study. An international team of distinguished faculty and facilitators help guide the participants through living together in a remote campus. Participants will be offered lectures, workshops, field experiences and the opportunity to work together as a team on solutions and multidisciplinary action plans.

Previous participants have represented American institutions such as Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California-Davis, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Hawaii. Students, who complete the initial course, are eligible for special courses of interest across the world. They are also part of a vibrant network that promotes sustainability, service and social justice worldwide.

“Learning about sustainability from a different worldview would enable me to embrace diverse strategies to achieve a similar goal,” Jennings said. “To participate in this consortium is not only an opportunity but also a mission to greater knowledge. I look forward to sharing the insight with FAMU and the society at large.”

Jennings is also an appointee on President James H. Ammons’ Environmental and Sustainability Council. Her graduate research project investigates the role of urban green spaces as a human health indicator.