In collaboration with the Wild Hope Center for Vocation, the Environmental Studies Program invites all students interested in the program or currently enrolled in the major or minor to this year’s Meant to Live Fall Gathering. This annual event provides current and prospective students with the opportunity to learn how an Environmental Studies major or minor gives purpose to life after graduation.

This year, we are excited to welcome back Saiyare Refaei (she/they)! Saiyare graduated from PLU in 2014 with an Environmental Studies major and minors in Anthropology, Hispanic Studies and Studio Arts. Saiyare is a Chinese Iranian artist based on the traditional lands of the Puyallup and Coast Salish peoples referred to as Tacoma, Washington. Their mediums include community murals, printmaking, drawings, and poetry. Saiyare strives to utilize art as a means of community building, education, and healing. They joined Justseeds in 2020, a transnational decentralized cooperative of artists committed to social, environmental, and political engagement. Saiyare works towards a more resilient local food system at the Pierce Conservation District's Harvest Pierce County program. Please join us for a conversation with Saiyare and a delicious bag of fall candy!