Aurora University Immersion at The Commonwealth
From Monday, March 6 - Thursday March 9, Sweet Water Foundation welcomed 10 students and faculty from Aurora University for a Spring Break immersion at The Commonwealth. The immersion was initiated by the Chair of Aurora University’s Parks and Recreational Leadership program, Professor Christopher Wells, who visited a Sweet Water Foundation farmers’ market in fall 2022 after hearing about our work from a colleague. Read more about the first Spring Break Immersion of 2023.
The immersion began as many experiences at The Commonwealth begin, with a period of disorientation. On Monday, the students were introduced to the site and paired with SWF team members to take on simple tasks such as filling cups with soil for growing indoors and thinning and transplanting seedlings. Through these activities, the group saw how quickly small acts can regenerate into the cultivation of life of hundreds of plants that will, in turn, provide thousands of meals throughout the harvest season. After a lunch that included sandwiches with fresh greens, harvested that morning from the hoop houses, the group convened in the Thought Barn for a seminar introducing the We the Publics… exhibit and history of The Commonwealth to contextualize the regenerative impact of small acts.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the group became reoriented through continued hands-on work and critical conversations and reflection. They were introduced to the difference between a farm and a garden, refreshed the grounds of the Community Farm and Community Garden by spreading woodchips.
They were also introduced to the process of transforming waste to resources through deconstruction of crates/pallets and building interlocking ponies. Each experience introduced students to new concepts, skills, tools, and perspectives all through the lens of experiential learning - thinking and doing. Students discussed epistemology - the creation of knowledge while connecting with the land and with each other. The immersion demonstrated that a garden, a farm, a work-shop, and an alley can all be spaces of learning.
Their immersion at The Commonwealth ended in a reflection session in Civic Arts Church on Thursday morning. The group shared the impact of the immersion on their perspectives, relationship to one another, and futures. The entire Sweet Water Foundation team is grateful to Aurora University students and faculty for spending part of their spring break with us. We look forward to staying connected in the future.
