Our Students

While the program benefits from CU-Boulder’s heritage in environmental leadership and the expertise of leading faculty, our students are what truly set the online Non-credit Certificates in Sustainability Management apart. Participants in the program are one of our proudest achievements - top notch, well-educated, thoughtful and committed. Our participants hail from the Midwest, coastal Texas, the Carolinas, the Rust Belt, the East Coast, Florida, Latin America, California and many points in between-and of course Colorado!  A wide range of businesses big and small, government agencies, universities, and municipalities are represented as well, including:

Whether you’re in the public or private sector, or plan to work as an independent consultant, you’ll fit right in to our diverse student body. Our goal is to help our students become leaders in sustainability and spread its many benefits to their communities, businesses, and organizations. As such, the online sustainability certificate programs are open to anyone who would seek to spearhead organizational change, develop new sustainability initiatives, and foster environmental stewardship – no matter your level of education or professional background.

Through the program, you can connect with fellow students through online discussions, learning from the perspectives of your peers and building relationships in the sustainability sector. During the final seminar, you’ll complete a culminating project with the mentorship of a national expert or CU faculty member, all of whom are working professionals in the field. Beyond that, the program’s flexible, online format is built to suit the schedule of a busy professional, making it possible to learn at your own pace as you apply newfound knowledge directly to your life.

Hear from one of our former students, William Musser

"My background involved earning a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and working as a Financial Advisor for a large global financial institution. I had been functioning as a stay-at-home dad for about a year when I decided to pursue the Sustainable Practices Program via the CU Boulder Environmental Center in November 2011. I had been interested in combatting climate change and advocating for environmental issues, and wanted to learn more about the broader concept of Sustainability, especially as it relates to business, economics, and industry. I was looking for something to stimulate me intellectually and socially, as well as being something to consider for a possible future career.

I definitely learned a lot of valuable information, gaining access to various resources and introduction to numerous contacts within sustainability and its related fields and areas of study. I now have a broad knowledge of many of the topic areas that sustainability encompasses. The program helped me discover a tremendous amount of new resources that will continue to help me serve as an able, educated, and persuasive advocate for sustainability.

The faculty, staff, and fellow students came from broad backgrounds and diverse demographics, but their motivation and passion for learning and teaching the broad concept of sustainability was evident throughout participation in the program. Several fellow students have remained in touch with me and we’ve met outside of the program to continue our discussion of current issues and job prospects, which has been very helpful and rewarding.

Through the program, I was able to crystallize my interest in Sustainability and channel it to the point that I was able to obtain my current sales position for a national photovoltaic solar installer/integrator based in Louisville, CO."

Additional Testimonials from anonymous Surveys:

"I'm very excited! I have lots of ideas and now I have lots of tools and processes to implement. THANK YOU!

"Great introduction to the field of sustainability, gave me great tools and confidences and scope of what green and sustainable is all about! Just what i was looking for! Would recommend to anyone!"

"Great leaders, inspiring speakers, wealth of information! Great connections to have for the future and very helpful mentors!  I learned so much relevant info for my passion/career goals."

"The program overall is great!  I personally took this program to get a "crash course" in many items that I use every day but am not totally fluent in.  This entire program filled in many gaps for me.  The instructors are great and very personable."

"This was a fantastic class.  Very informative.   Liked the online format alot.  I learned so much and really feel so much more prepared.  Excellent, excellent job! The lecturers are just fabulous, top notch, interesting and experienced.  Great book too."

"This is my second seminar and as well as my first, it is so invigorating to me! Challenging in just the right way, engaging, thought provoking, and packed full of useful information and tools I will be able to use long into the future. Thank you."

"Overall, I am enjoying what I am learning and excited to continue to see what is next."