The Alvord Center for Global and Environmental Studies, located on the first floor of the Katharine Brush Library, is one of the many centers offered at Loomis. From organizing the International Education Programs to the Global and Environmental Studies Certificate (GESC), the Alvord Center plays an integral role in developing refined global leaders who are conscious of the world and environment.

The Alvord Center works closely with the Loomis Chaffee curriculum, aiming to extend the learning experience beyond the four walls of a classroom. The center collaborates with different departments to modify course trajectories and expand students’ acquisition of knowledge through real-world experience. This method of teaching offers endless opportunities for applied learning.

Focused specifically on the GESC, the Alvord Center Engaged Citizenship Matrix details the four pillars that sustain this certificate: seeking knowledge, enhancing understanding, developing skills, and taking action. The guidelines that make up the center aim to evoke a resonating question within students: “What will you do with what you know?”

The Alvord Center stretches into positively impacting the broader community through student-led projects and initiatives. For instance, the solar panel array, which generates one-third of the campus’ electricity, was proposed by a senior who implemented this plan with the center’s help. In addition to this endeavor, e-charge stations, maple syruping, and the apiary are all driven by the Alvord Center and the volunteering efforts of dedicated scholars.

Thirteen years ago, it was the Alvord Center for Global Studies, but today, it is known as the Alvord Center for Global and Environmental Studies. One board member at the time reasoned that for one to be a global citizen, one must recognize the importance of the environment, and thus, an environmental focus was added to the Global Studies program.

“How do we leverage our campus and get students outside?” Mary Matlack, head of the Alvord Center, questioned. The effort to have students engage with the environment, even simply around our campus, is a guiding factor to the program's accessibility. Specifically, during COVID-19, the Alvord Center worked with teachers and other centers to promote the exploration of the beautiful campus that Loomis calls home.

Ever mindful of the Alvord Center's goal of learning from experiences and personal ideas, the center offers International Education Program (IEP) trips during spring break and the summer holidays each year. Each trip has objectives and activities that foster engaged citizenship and an environmental perspective.

All trips are designed to cater to the unique Loomis experience. This year’s trips include Spain, Morocco, Greece, Hawaii, and a River Cruise in the Northeast Kingdom.

The end goal of the Alvord Center for Global and Environmental studies remains steadfast; to foster and promote students to have a transformative experience while impacting their community in a positive, helpful manner.