FS 3.178: Mountains Matter: Intercultural Approach to Human Connection and Stewardship

Many US American universities use international destinations to acquire intercultural competence to educate citizens to participate effectively in increasingly complex environments. International travel can be financially inaccessible, yet expanding such opportunities to more students also brings the issue of travel sustainability into question. These constraints can be alleviated when educators seek similar opportunities close to home. Weber State University, located in the Wasatch mountains in Utah (home to the 2002 and 2034 Winter Olympics) serves as an ideal location to explore the social, environmental, and economic value of mountain landscapes. As educator-scholars in the humanities, economics, outdoor education, and study abroad, we will share how we used local mountains as a pedagogical tool for high impact education (i.e., activities designed to foster student engagement). We explore an interdisciplinary course entitled, “Mountains Matter: An Intercultural Approach to Human Connection and Stewardship of the Outdoors,” in which domestic and international students were paired to facilitate intercultural learning and place attachment. Course learning focused on an appreciation of mountains through historical analysis, engagement in mountain cultures and sports, and an examination of the impacts of amenity migration as it relates to sustainable development and policy. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities of using interdisciplinary approaches to developing students’ understanding of the value of mountains.