Renowned naturalist John Muir learned by doing. He spent his time hiking, camping and documenting what he found in nature. So, when University of the Pacific professors put together a class about him, it made sense that their students should follow in his footsteps.
The course, called John Muir and the Environmental Movement, gives students a unique opportunity to make use of Pacific’s extensive John Muir Collections. Made up of letters, drawings, manuscripts, books and other personal effects, students can dive into Muir’s life and work.
To bring the class’s learning to life, four Pacific faculty members took 20 students to Yosemite National Park in November 2024. The students spent their time learning about Muir and his involvement in the fledgling environmentalist movement—all while seeing some of the same views he did over 100 years ago.
“The principal goal of the class is to get students to understand the connection with John Muir, but also to connect with the environment,” says Professor Mike Wurtz, head of Pacific’s special collections and archives and one of the faculty members who led the group.
It’s not hard for students to connect with the world outside Pacific’s Stockton campus. It sits in the Central Valley, which means it’s right in the center of everything. Yosemite National Park is just a few hours’ away by car.
Pacific is also near many state and national parks. For students interested in sustainability, history or science, Pacific is an ideal location to study.
“Living in California and also being around other things in nature made me realize how valuable nature is and how we need to protect it,” says history major Danny Udermann ’25. “So, taking this class about environmental history has been a great opportunity for that.”
Pacific students don’t need to leave the campus to learn about the importance of protecting nature; Pacific is dedicated to a greener future. All the electricity used on campus comes from renewable energy. Pacific also ranks in the global top 10 for its sustainable food and dining practices.
And it’s not just about institutional programs: Pacific students can also volunteer their time to help campus stay green.