From Here to Everywhere: Environmental Sustainability

From Here to Everywhere: Environmental Sustainability

ɬ�﷬ians take their degrees in many different directions. If you want to make a difference for the environment and future generations, a career in sustainability offers one of the most powerful and dynamic ways to create positive change. As a sustainability professional, you’ll be part of the solution, working to improve quality of life, while also striving to maintain environmental balance. The ability to work across disciplinary boundaries to consider scientific, social, environmental, economic, political, and ethical issues is essential for a sustainability professional.

A Well-Rounded Experience

At ɬ�﷬, you’ll learn to think like a scientist by collecting and analyzing data, while connecting knowledge across disciplines. You’ll also explore other relevant areas of study such as economics, sociology, and political science.
ɬ�﷬’s interdisciplinary environmental studies concentration is another excellent option for students interested in sustainability.
Preparing for Your Goals
You’ll gain insights that will prepare you for graduate school or a career with environmental, political, and research organizations and private-sector companies. Here are a few of the varied career opportunities in sustainability:
- Environmental scientist
- Environmental engineer
- Ecologist
- Environmental consultant
- Policy analyst
- Urban planner
- Creative nonfiction writer
- Landscape architect
- Green architect
- Environmental historian
- Project manager for regulatory or planning agency

Popular Majors for Students Interested in Sustainability

Any field of study can lead to a career in environmental sustainability. Many students interested in sustainability choose to major in one of the sciences at ɬ�﷬, while also studying the humanities and social sciences. ɬ�﷬ will give you the problem-solving, creative thinking, and communication skills that the College is known for. Writing well, speaking clearly, and thriving in collaborative environments are valuable in any field, but particularly in a multi-disciplinary field like sustainability. Here are a few of the majors commonly chosen by students interested in sustainability.

Students taking water samples out at CERA

Biology

Biology is the first choice for many students interested in sustainability. Biology’s focus on life forms and how they function and interact in the environment make it especially relevant to sustainability.

Learn more about the biology major

Chemistry

The study of chemical processes and substances in the environment offers excellent preparation for a career in sustainability.

Learn more about the chemistry major

Political Science

Political science majors gain an understanding of how people govern themselves and how that applies to environmental issues that affect the common good, such as pollution and climate change.

Learn more about the political science major

Student in sun hat takes photos of prairie life at CERA

Environmental Studies

Gain experience in evidence gathering and critical thinking while you explore the issues posed by the relationship between humans and our natural environment.

Learn more about the environmental studies concentration

Scarlet and Black umbrella sporting the Honor G mixes amongst the rest of the umbrellas on a rainy day.

Global Development Studies

Learn about global challenges and develop the flexibility and knowledge to have a significant and positive impact for the common good.

Learn more about the global development studies concentration

Sign says "peace love compost" in the student garden

Policy Studies

Develop into a thoughtful, intellectually-engaged citizen who contributes to the common good while focusing on truth, evidence, critical thought, and realistic prospects for change.

Learn more about the policy studies concentration

Explore All Majors and Concentrations

Environmental Action Meets Fun

The Student Environmental Committee is a student organization that’s all about working for a good cause while having a good time with friends.

Looking up at the tower with a mix of clouds and blue sky behind it

A Summer of Discovery through Faculty-Student Research

Three ɬ�﷬ students explored different aspects of air quality through Mentored Advanced Projects (MAPs) with Associate Professor of Chemistry Evan Couzo in summer 2025.

ɬ�﷬ Student’s Field Research Trip to Costa Rica Explores Community-Led Ecotourism and Cooperative Governance

Julia Smith ’26 conducted field research in El Silencio Costa Rica.

A male student lifts the side of a bluebird box while two other students look on

Work is Fun, and Fun is Work for CERA Student Employees

Four ɬ�﷬ students worked at CERA during summer 2025, getting hands-on experience ranging from identifying native prairie plants and collecting their seeds to driving on gravel roads.

Who Hires ɬ�﷬ians?

A Few Examples:

Idelle Cooper and her students walk through a stream with nets to catch insects

Evolution, Art, and the Jewelwing Damselfly

In 2023, Associate Professor of Biology Idelle Cooper ’01 returned to ɬ�﷬ as a faculty member in the Department of Biology.

Sophie Mero ’22 Takes on the World

From the classroom, to research, to an internship in India, Sophie Mero’s passion for biology has taken her on a beautiful journey toward a fulfilling career.

Alex Reich in the Arctic in a fur hood with a teepee structure in the background

Raising Awareness about Climate Change

Alex Reich ’11 works to raise awareness and educate people about the linked issues of climate change and the global food system.

Jonathan Gilmour: Public Health Research

Jonathan Gilmour ’19 is a cofounder of The Impact Project, a nonpartisan data and research initiative that makes data about government change more transparent and actionable.

Jamie Friedman: Analyzing Climate Policy

Jamie Friedman joined the Center for American Progress, where she works as a climate policy analyst focused on clean energy transition and reducing pollution from high-emitting industrial facilities.

Suha Gillani: Sustainability in Business

Suha Gillani ’16 has built a career driven by curiosity about how sustainability can help business unlock growth responsibly.

Career Exploration Experiences

The ɬ�﷬ Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS) should be one of your first stops when you’re ready to start thinking about a career in sustainability and how to get there. The CLS offers guidance, resources, and support, including financial support, to help you explore your career pathway. Many students also take advantage of the CLS’ , which offers opportunities to connect with like-minded students and an expert adviser to learn about resources, hands-on experiences, and research opportunities to help you achieve your goals. Here are just a few of the resources waiting for you at the CLS.

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Internships and Other Opportunities

Your CLS adviser can help you find internships, externships, summer research experiences, job shadows, mentoring, and other opportunities for real-life job experience in sustainability. Here are a few examples: · Find Opportunities: Science, Engineering, and Sustainability — Climate and Ecology Section · Find Opportunities: Climate Justice for Prospective Interns · Find Opportunities: Ecology and Conservation

A few recent sustainability-related internships include:

Alumni and Recruiter Networking

ɬ�﷬ alumni working in sustainability are willing and eager to connect with students explore different career paths. Alumni in sustainability-related careers can provide good insights into what it is like to work in their field. For instance, ɬ�﷬ alumnus Jonathan Gilmour ’19, a data scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who focuses on the health impacts of climate change, has started a LinkedIn group for ɬ�﷬ians who want to work in sustainability. Your CLS Career Community leader can also help you connect with ɬ�﷬ alumni in the professional sustainability career that appeals to you.

Recruiter Networking

Your CLS adviser can also help connect you with recruiters looking for candidates for jobs in sustainability.

Funding for Career-Building Experiences

Interested in an unpaid internship, but can’t afford to live in a faraway city without a paycheck? CLS may be able to help. Financial support for internships, transportation, professional clothing, and more are available for students with need.

A new weather tower at CERA with a big sky and rolling landscape

Weather Tower Erected at CERA

Associate Professor of Chemistry Evan Couzo and three ɬ�﷬ students erected a 30-foot-tall atmospheric measurement station at ɬ�﷬’s Conard Environmental Research Area.

A student reaches down to collect a water sample at Arbor Lake

Exploring Water Quality at Arbor Lake: ɬ�﷬ians celebrate Earth Day

On Earth Day 2025, the Center for Prairie Studies sponsored an event at Arbor Lake for ɬ�﷬ians who wanted to learn about what’s in Iowa’s rivers and streams.

ɬ�﷬ Plugs into 16th Ave Solar Array, Marking Historic Environmental Milestone

A large solar array north of the ɬ�﷬ Golf Course is live, providing the College with four megawatts of power. When another new solar project comes online, together they will provide 50% of the electricity needs on campus.

A huge tree casts shade on the South Campus residence halls.

Mapping Campus Trees, Virtually

Senior Lecturer in Biology Liz Queathem led a Mentored Advanced Project (MAP) to develop a virtual map of campus trees. She worked with several students who remapped every tree on campus.

Sustainability Takes Root: Earth Week Highlights Green Initiatives and Mobilizes the Community

This Earth Week, April 22-29, sustainability staff at the College are spotlighting these green initiatives while also prompting members of the community to consider their own environmental footprints.

Resources for Students Interested in Sustainability

Environmental Studies Concentration
Conard Environmental Research Area: ɬ�﷬’s 365-acre field station is an exceptional resource for environmental inquiry, serving as a model for land preservation and ecological restoration.
Campus Jobs: The College’s Office of Sustainability hires 5–10 student coordinators each year to help with campus-related sustainability efforts. These positions offer an opportunity to tackle tangible local sustainability challenges with real-world obstacles. Some examples include recycling and water challenges, emissions reductions, and natural landscaping management.
Committees: The Sustainability Planning Committee (a.k.a. EcoCampus) focuses on figuring out how to meet the College’s goals, as outlined in the Sustainability Plan; the committee includes students, faculty, and staff.
The Center for Prairie Studies: Students serve with faculty and staff on the Advisory Board for the Center for Prairie Studies, which offers many opportunities for students to recharge in nature and help with sustainability at the Conard Environmental Research Area, as well as a broad array of programming about ɬ�﷬’s place in the world.
Student Organizations: The Student Environmental Committee (SEC) focuses on creating environmental change on ɬ�﷬’s campus. SEC members engage fellow students to brainstorm ideas and talk about environmental concerns. While projects range from the local (composting and recycling on campus) to larger issues such as carbon neutrality, the focus is on what ɬ�﷬ians can do to create a greener campus. Other sustainability-related student groups include the ɬ�﷬ Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP), the Sunrise Movement ɬ�﷬ Hub, Farm House, and the Food Recovery Network.

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