A group of TLU students got a glimpse of ecological theory in action when their professor, Dr. Steve Boehm, chair of the Political Science, Sociology, and Geography Department at the university, took them on a field trip. 

The students toured Park West—a forty-eight-acre park on Seguin’s west side—to evaluate how the local urban environment contributes to or deters delinquency. 

“We concluded that it's a mixed bag,” said Boehm. “We noted the absence of lighting on the walking trail, but we also saw several people using the trail including a new mom with her baby.” 

The students also noted that the park is located in a part of town that had previously been neglected. Features include a splashpad, skate park, hike and bike trail, playscape, and more. “That's a positive,” said Boehm. “The facilities are much needed, especially with the new large apartment complex being built across the street from the park.” On the other hand, “the students observed how there are no sidewalks that lead to the park, so we had to walk in the street to get there.”

“Overall, the students were impressed by the size of the park and the facilities it has and agreed that it is important to provide such services on the west side of town,” said Boehm.

Before they headed back to campus, there was a little time left to splash around at the park’s water playground—all for the sake of research, no doubt.