My Global & Environmental Identity
What is a global and environmental citizen? To me it’s a person that values having a sense of community and connection to their cultural backgrounds, while also being a conscious steward for the environment: like having literacy of the challenges that affect our earth today. My name is Jack Muhlhauser, I’m a senior boarder at Loomis and I’m a part of the 2025 GESC class. I live in Fairfield, CT with my sister, Lily; mom, Andrea; dad, Andrew; and dog, Archie. To me I think that family is the network of people who you value and care about the most in your life. I find my greatest sense of place around my network of people and while I’m outside enjoying nature. A big part of my personal identity has become staying active from years of participating in cross country and track. My relationship to the natural world corresponds with these activities, and I’m appreciative of the environment we have here in Windsor where I’m often outside able to appreciate the beauty of the Northeastern weather. When thinking about my global identity I reflect on my family's heritage, specifically the familial traditions and customs that have shaped the person I am today. While my family are all US citizens, my mom’s side takes a notable pride in their Polish ancestry mostly through the continuance of making traditional meals and saving recipes in cookbooks. Part of my interest stems from thinking consciously about my own impact, and what I can be doing to help protect the natural world. An example of this is when I did an activity in preparation for our first GESC seminar to put into perspective our individual environmental impact. My ecological footprint value was 5.4 earths–meaning if everyone lived like me it would take 5.4 earths to sustain the human population. I was surprised to see the consequences my lifestyle had, and a goal of mine for this upcoming year was to reduce my personal footprint. Having literacy and understanding of your personal part is the first step towards collective progress, and I’m hoping to learn and educate others within my network on how we can reduce our impact.
Global & Environmental Resume
GESC-designated Courses
- World History: Systems of Justice/Injustice
- Spanish II, III, IV, and V
- Philosophy of Nonviolence
- Ceramics II
- Adv. Sem: History of the Present
- CL Literature & the Environment
- CL Environmental Science
- Macroeconomics
Elective Courses
I have been a staff writer for the LOG, Loomis Chaffee Newspaper, for the past 3 years. My favourite section to write for has been the opinions where I can usually dive into current events topics that explore the complexities of our world's global issues. My interest in the LOG has been a helpful tool in developing my own global literacy and has helped me to become a more engaged learner. In my articles, I like to tie back how the Loomis community is affected by the ever changing state of our world, and I think it's an important reflection to consider how we are affected or affecting the earth and each other as global engaged citizens.
GESC Experiential Education
I was a part of the GESC sponsored trip to Denmark and Sweden on the topic of sustainable cities and architecture. It was a really cool experience and a huge culture shock to experience the different ways nordic societies contrast from America. There was an emphasis on social cohesion and equality within the layouts of cities like Copenhagen. There were many examples of environmental infrastructure like various bike lanes, a surplus of accessible parks and walkways, and many sustainable energy initiatives that prioritize the well being of communities and the environment.
Learning Artifacts
GESC Coursework
Winter SEP Visit
The infamous SEP (Special Ecological Place) assignment is a yearlong journal focused on taking critical observations about our natural surroundings and relating our course work in CL Environmental Science to a place in nature found on the Loomis Campus. Throughout the year we return frequently to this place taking pictures and writing about the changes and things we notice about the environment around us. It's an impactful reminder when recalling back to the earlier entries to see how much the environment around us changes. Click here to view.
GESC Seminars Reflections
The seminar 2 field trip to the CT Museum of culture & History was a great way for me to practice being a globally engaged citizen. With the ofrendas from Dia de Los Muertos still up, my group learned about the complex challenges faced by different immigrant groups, mainly from latin-american countries, throughout American history and the lasting effects today of injustices that have occured. This trip helped further my understanding through a series of exercises. First, we got to read primary resources of immigrant logs from the early 1900’s, and then read articles about latino worker exploitation on farms in CT. Then I got to do a hands-on investigation with different suitcases, from the early to mid 20th century, that contained historical and culturally significant items from Jamaican migrants. The main themes were the importance of cultural continuity and understanding the injustices faced by minority demographics in our state of CT. This visit helped me become more emphatic because it educated me on the historical struggles that have largely shaped the minority experience here in CT. I now am more inclined to educate my family and peers so they can better understand the significance of latin-american culture in the history of our state. A connection I made from this field trip was the socioeconomic divide between white and minority demographics, especially in the state of CT. Many of the lower income housing in urban areas like New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford are examples of more ethnically diverse places whereas suburban towns like West Hartford and Fairfield are more expensive and predominantly white. Learning about a history of prejudice amongst job opportunities are now exemplified through socioeconomic gaps. It makes me wonder what types of reparations are needed or investments in community programs to uplift and repair the histories of injustice to the culturally significant groups that have shaped Connecticut’s history. I would have liked to learn more about the primary resources documents we went over, specifically the immigration trends during the late 19th to 20th century to see if there are any connections to be made.
GESC Seminar #4 was an excellent opportunity to seek knowledge about how relevant the problem of food insecurity is within our own state of Connecticut. Mr. Karat brought in AnaAlicia, the founder of Nourish My Soul, who gave us a presentation on her work and the evolution of her career, focused on a commitment to serving the local community. The most staggering takeaway I found was that one in six children are food insecure in CT. I enhanced my understanding by learning how many families can fall into or live under financial grey areas where they are not able to receive government aid—called ALICE households—but still struggle to make ends meet when deciding how to allocate their money in tight situations. AnaAlicia is dedicated to helping people gain food sovereignty through understanding how to implement sustainable, economical, and environmental practices like growing their own plants and vegetables. Her organization has a farm located in East Granby, CT, open to anyone in need, no questions asked. Another way she takes action for the common good is by educating people about the habits and benefits of nutritious eating to prevent the long-term health risks attributed to consuming ultra-processed foods, which, in many cases, are the only affordable option for those experiencing food insecurity. Lastly, she focuses on enhancing understanding in youth leadership programs with the goal of empowering the younger generation to make healthier choices and help serve the community. She places an emphasis on guiding youth in developing important lifelong skills while instilling the practice of community service and volunteering—reinforcing the value of always giving back and helping others throughout their lives. I related much of what she said to my Environmental Science class, which emphasizes how climate change disproportionately affects people and places, always having the hardest impact on the most vulnerable demographics. This seminar was an impactful reflection on my own privilege and the role I can take. I am interested in learning more about how voting for local policies can help uplift and support those in need.
My 5th and final GESC seminar took a different spin compared to the rest. I was able to join a faculty Coffee with Colleagues meeting, with a few of my fellow GESC peers, and learn about the environmental impact of Artificial Intelligence: courtesy of Mr. Heckman and Mr. Johnson. We first started off by identifying the qualities of good critical thinkers, e.g. understanding biases and being a healthy skeptic of information that was presented; to make sure we were thoughtfully approaching a new subject like a global and environmental citizen would. My preconceived notions going into this seminar were that AI had a large carbon footprint from things I had seen on the web. To fully consider the footprint of something you need to take into account the resources used and emissions emitted. However, Mr. Johnson helped me further my understanding by presenting some of the available data about AI usage, and I was informed that about 1000 pages of AI generated or, a year's worth of use on the individual level, would use 30kWH and 120 liters of water. At first I thought this was miniscule, on par with a common household appliance like a lamp until I understood that training these programs takes a lot more resources. They also identified that companies like Open AI don’t have a lot of public information about their impact and energy and resource consumption, which led me to be skeptical about the data. Another point that Mr. Johnson said that competition from rivaling companies like DeepSeek have pushed Open AI to be more efficient when training their models, which in turn would have less of an impact. However, this comes with a cost known as the Jevons Paradox: fuel efficiency tends to increase not decrease energy use. Mr. Heckman ended on the note that AI is projected to get even more integrated into society and the usage will rise exponentially. My overall takeaway was that in comparison to general things, AI usage on the individual level at a moderate amount isn’t bad, however we should challenge companies to be more transparent about resource and land usage to protect our environment and be conscious of footprint.
GESC Electives
My experience participating in the LOG, the school's school newspaper, has helped me engage with global and current events. Through my time in the opinions section I have voiced my own analysis of global issues, and with the hope to inform and generate constructive discussions about policy, conflicts, and the school's responses to these events.
GESC Experiential Education
My GESC trip to Denmark was a transformative experience that changed my outlook as a global and environmental citizen and student. This was one of my favorite trips I have ever taken partly because it was like nothing I have ever seen before. It was surprising to learn about how much more environmentally conscious a country like Denmark is. Below are a few snapshots that illustrate the unique nature of a place like Denmark that is committed to community and being conscious of impact through environmentally friendly architecture.
My Capstone Project
Alvord the GESC's Upcoming AI Program
Project rationale
This capstone project is part of an ongoing initiative to enhance the student learning experience at Loomis through the development of a new AI program. The goal is to provide faculty with easy access to information about opportunities in the Greater Hartford area and how they can connect to the Loomis curriculum. Working alongside my partner, Leysana Masagutova, and faculty mentors Mrs. Matlack and Ms. Griggs, I contributed to the development of a preexisting script for the AI program, Alvord. Using our research on the Greater Hartford area, we helped refine the script to ensure the AI can accurately deliver relevant, community-based responses to its users.
Target Audience
The overall goal is for Alvord to become a valuable tool for both faculty and future GESC students, helping them enhance their Loomis experience by identifying meaningful opportunities on and off campus. For example, if a history teacher is planning a field trip, Alvord could provide curated suggestions that align with the curriculum and are conveniently located near campus.
Project Process
The overall goal is for Alvord to become a valuable tool for both faculty and future GESC students, helping them enhance their Loomis experience by identifying meaningful opportunities on and off campus. For example, if a history teacher is planning a field trip, Alvord could provide curated suggestions that align with the curriculum and are conveniently located near campus. While it’s still in the works, the hope is that it can be implemented next year by faculty and GESC students.
Project Reflection
I’m happy about the progress we made, and the potential it holds to enhance the learning experience at Loomis. By further developing Alvord’s ability to generate relevant, place based, recommendations, our project directly supports the Alvord Center Matrix’s emphasis on experiential learning, local engagement, and interdisciplinary exploration. My experience with this capstone helped to deepen my understanding of how technology can be used as a tool for global and environmental education. Researching local organizations helped me see the importance of community-based learning, and also showed me how local action is essential to global awareness. My hope is that Alvord continues to evolve into a widely used resource across departments. Potentially, helping teachers and students discover the exciting learning opportunities beyond and within campus, and inspiring them to think critically about their role in building community and protecting the environment.
GESC Reflection
Looking back at my original Statement of Intent, I’m proud of how much I’ve grown as a global and environmental scholar during my time at Loomis. My early passion for language, current events, and global awareness has only deepened through the opportunities offered by the GESC. I’ve continued to challenge myself��academically and personally—by stepping outside of my comfort zone, from attending a Model UN conference to participating in the Alvord Center’s initiatives, including the AI-based capstone project connecting the Loomis curriculum to the Greater Hartford community. What I once viewed as distant interests—like international relations, language, and environmental citizenship—have now become tangible parts of my academic and co-curricular experience. I’ve learned how local action and global thinking are interconnected, and how tools like education, technology, and communication can help bridge that gap. The GESC has not only helped me engage more fully with the Loomis community but has also encouraged me to think critically and compassionately about my place in the world. Whether through coursework, co-curriculars, or hands-on projects, I now feel more confident in my ability to contribute meaningfully to global and environmental conversations—something I aspired to back in my 6th-grade geography class and when I first arrived at Loomis.