'Caring for Our HOME' conference to be held Sept. 23-24

This will focus on higher education’s work to create educational programs and student-community partnerships to care for Earth. The event will explore curriculum, service learning, and community engagement, along with advocacy on issues of sustainability.

Speakers include Daniel Wallach and Catherine Hart from the Greensburg (Kansas) GreenTown project. They are involved in rebuilding Greensburg, leveled by a tornado on May 4, 2007. Soon after the storm, the community chose to focus on sustainability as it rebuilt, with the goal of becoming a model "green" town.

The HOME conference also will feature Mary Elizabeth Moore, dean of Boston University School of Theology, and Mark Davies, dean of the Petree College of Arts and Sciences at OCU.

One of the event sponsors is the Oikos Scholars program at OCU. This program prepares students to engage in lives of social and ecological responsibility. Oikos is the Greek word for house and the root word for both ecology and economics. All Oikos scholars participate in service-learning projects; complete courses addressing issues of peace, justice, and ecological sustainability; and are required to complete at least one approved international education experience while they are OCU students.

Cost for the HOME conference is $75, and includes meals. Register at: www.ica-usa.org.  Click on the "Caring for Our HOME" link in the Calendar of Events.