The Official U.S. Maple Syrup Almanac -- 2017 Alamanc_2017 | Page 15

Getting
Schooled
Univ. of Minn.
OVER 1,000 PEOPLE learn sugaring through outreach programs at The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Colleges tap into education through maple
T
By MIKE RECHLIN
he maple syrup industry has always had important links to
Colleges and Universities. As an industry that continues to
go through rapid changes in technology, we rely heavily on
university research to drive innovation and change.
There are, however, growing connec-
tions being made between the sugarhouse
and the classroom; ways in which the sci-
ence, history, and culture of maple syrup
making enrich the educational offerings
at many colleges and universities.
In researching this article, I found 25
U.S. Maple Syrup Almanac
2017
institutions of higher education that cur-
rently include instruction in some aspect
of sugaring in their programs. From my
own experience teaching maple syrup
courses to students at the college and
university level, I know it’s a good match.
More and more educators are designing
programs that include project centered
learning, interdisciplinary studies, and
critical thinking, all of which can be part
of an academic course or program that
includes making maple syrup. In the cases
described below, you’ll see how faculty
members are using making maple syrup
in courses and extra-curricular programs
to reach those objectives.
Extra-curricular activities
making maple syrup
More than half of the schools in this
survey engage students, faculty, alum-
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