Ferdinand von Muench, lecturer in University Studies, is committed to valuing body, mind, and environment as he infuses sustainability into his everyday life and classroom. With a degree in comparative literature and history, he has found success and growth in his work with CORE studies, which have allowed him to draw upon community, the environment, and mindfulness.
A self-declared “non-expert” in the field of sustainability, Ferdinand emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between a healthy lifestyle and sustainability and how one can practice mindful engagement without being an expert. Alongside a deep appreciation for nature and environmentalism, Ferdinand notes that engaging with sustainability resonates with his commitment to quality of life. In other words, he says that it is “not a sacrifice” to pick the more sustainable route. He notes how walking or biking around Hamilton has allowed him to deeply appreciate the beauty of our local environment, and how buying local produce from the Colgate Community Garden and other local vendors is both environmentally-friendly and tastier. To Ferdinand, sustainability is “general sensibility.” On an individual and global scale, sustainability works hand-in-hand with quality of life.
In the classroom, Ferdinand infuses sustainability in many ways. One of the most eccentric, yet rewarding, methods is his encouragement for students to walk around the quad without shoes or socks, establishing a sense of place and appreciation for the land that holds us. Practicing this sense of place and awareness of the indigenous people who used to call Colgate’s land their home is an important emphasis in his CORE Conversations course, a class taken by many Colgate first and second years.
In addition, Ferdinand has recruited his classes to visit the Colgate Community Garden for many years, working closely with Community Garden Manager Beth Roy to show students the importance and history of the garden, a fundamental project for the Office of Sustainability. Aside from these efforts, he also works to ensure that his lectures or events are environmentally conscious as he chooses to reject food waste and single-use plastics through family-style meals and investing in reusable plates. For his efforts, Ferdinand won an Oak Award in 2023.
In the classroom, Ferdinand strongly encourages students to actively participate and attend events at Colgate and within the Hamilton community. His favorite sustainability-related event is the Community Garden Fall Harvest Festival, noting that he has appreciated how it has evolved to include both the land and people, emphasizing the value of including Native Americans in this celebration.
Ferdinand is constantly working on improving mindfulness and contemplative practices on a personal and institutional level. Quality of life and balance between mind, body, and environment grounds von Muench in his work and personal life as he sets an excellent example of how sustainability is intertwined with happiness.