ICYMI: The first ever SEAT course a resounding success | MyNews | Seneca Students

The School of English & Liberal Studies (SELS) held their first ever SELS Experiential Academic Travel (SEAT) course, NAT248 The Sustainable Forest, in the Fall 2024 Term and provided students a chance to take their learning to the forest!

During Study Week, students enrolled in the course ventured out to Haliburton County in Central Ontario as part of the first SEAT series of courses that combine academic study with a mandatory experiential travel component. They spent three days and two nights at the Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve exploring sustainable forestry practices through hands-on, experiential learning.

With gorgeous autumn foliage serving as the backdrop, the students visited the resident Grey Wolves, came within arms-reach of birds of prey and hunted for edible mushrooms on the forest floor. They tracked the life cycle of trees — from planting in the forest to harvesting at the sawmill — during the day, learned how to build campfires in the evening and spotted star constellations via the on-site astronomical observatory at night.

Simply put: the SEAT course allowed the students to come across the types of sights, sounds and smells that are not often found in urban life.

The inaugural cohort of SEAT participants comprised students from a wide range of full-time programs such as Behavioural Sciences, Computer Programming & Analysis, Social Service Worker, Environmental Technician and more.

Would you be interested in exploring Canada, earning a course credit towards your studies and making lasting memories (and friendships) in the Summer 2025 Term? Then stay tuned for more details in the new year about the next SEAT course offering!