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Program Information

BA in Environment and Sustainability

Master in Environmental Management

Center for Environment and Sustainability

Ralph E. Clark Fund

Other Environmental Studies Links:

Internship Opportunities

Environment and Sustainability Job Opportunities

Links of Environmental Interest

Graduate Programs in Environment and Sustainability

Contact Information:

Administrative Assistant:
Donna Holden
(970) 943-7011
dholden@western.edu

Program Director:
John Hausdoerffer
(970) 943-3450
jhausdoerffer@western.edu

Address:
Environment and Sustainability Program,
Kelley Hall 240
Western State Colorado University
600 N. Adams St.
Gunnison, CO 81231

Environment and Sustainability

The Environment and Sustainability Program focuses on the interactions of humans and the natural environment. Specifically, the Program studies the structure and function of natural systems, examines how social, political, and economic activity impacts those systems, and experiments with resilient solutions to unsustainable
human impacts.

Goals of the Environment and Sustainability Program include:
• Applying the knowledge and methods of natural sciences to understand and analyze environmental problems and solutions.
• Implementing social science findings and frameworks to develop local, national, and global sustainable solutions.
• Using the insights of environmental history, literature, and ethics to inform current decision making.

• Developing interdisciplinary critical thinking, communication, and problem solving skills to foster community and ecological resilience.

• Fostering leadership in sustainability, effective environmental citizenship, and career and advanced study opportunities in environmental fields.

Applying classroom learning, ENVS students have:

Completed internships in Gunnison and across the world. Read their blogs at ENVS Real Life.
Raised funds and assisted in the design for
solar energy on Kelley Hall.
Led efforts towards WSCU's signing of the Environmental Charter.
Worked with Student Government Association to pass a Sustainability Fund to enhance campus environmental projects.
Encouraged President Jay Helman to sign the President's Climate Commitment.

Coordinated major service projects with environmental organizations and public lands agencies.
Completed Senior Capstone projects, which have ranged from a wilderness plan for the Black Canyon National Park, to a campus organic garden, to environmental education in local schools, to researching a carbon tax for the Gunnison Valley, to helping envision the new environmentally responsible home for Environment and Sustainability.
Traveled to Kenya to install solar panels, build environmental education facilities, and study rainforest issues.