In 2003, Taylor launched the Master of Environmental Science program integrating Christian faith with learning to train students in “science for stewardship and service.” A generous external gift supported the program and students through the Boren Graduate Fellowships. From 2003 until the last graduates in 2015, the MES program played a vital role in Christian higher education. Ninety-four students entered the program, of which, forty students came from Taylor undergraduate degrees and fifty-four came from thirty-five other institutions. Eighty-six students completed the degree and were successfully placed in PhD programs or careers in governmental agencies, private sector consulting, environmental education, non-government service agencies or other positions.

Thirty-nine of the MES graduates chose to complete a thesis (instead of a six-month internship); Dr. Paul Rothrock guided over half of them. The theses included in this collection represent some of Taylor’s finest scholarship. Their research covers a range of topics including assessments ecosystem, restoration, and mitigation; evaluations of landscapes and watersheds; and surveys of environmental education, attitudes, and behaviors.

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