MENV

Building Careers in Sustainability: Highlights from ��ֱ�� Boulder’s First Career in the Environment Fair

Liz Holland — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:20:48 +0000

Building Careers in Sustainability: Highlights from ��ֱ�� Boulder’s First Career in the Environment Fair Liz Holland Mon, 03/17/2025 - 10:20

Two Fridays ago, the University of ��ֱ�� Boulder Department of Environmental Studies (ENVS) hosted its first-ever Career in the Environment Fair, an exciting and impactful event designed to connect undergraduate and graduate students with professionals working in environmental science, sustainability, and conservation. The event provided a unique opportunity for students in ENVS and the Masters of the Environment (MENV) Graduate Program to engage with industry leaders, gain valuable career insights, and explore internships and job opportunities in the growing field of environmental sustainability.

State of the Field Panel: Insights from Industry Experts

The day kicked off with an engaging State of the Field panel discussion, where students heard directly from top professionals working across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The panelists included:

Carlos Fernández – ��ֱ�� State Director at The Nature Conservancy
Erin Decker – Director of Renewable Energy at Schneider Electric
Jennifer Gimbel – Senior Water Policy Scholar at ��ֱ�� Water Center
Matt Abbott – Corporate Sustainability Senior Manager at VF Corporation (Apparel and Footwear)
Sarah R. Horn – Senior City Planner at the City of Boulder

These industry leaders tackled important questions from students, such as:

How has the environmental field evolved over the past decade?
What skills are essential for a career in sustainability today?
How do professionals manage self-care and prevent burnout while working on urgent environmental challenges?

From climate policy and corporate sustainability to renewable energy solutions and urban planning, each panelist shared personal experiences, career advice, and insights on navigating a constantly evolving field.

Career Exploration Expo: Connecting Students with

Opportunities

Following the panel, students had the chance to network with professionals during the Career Exploration Expo, where 18 organizations were present to discuss internships, jobs, and career pathways. Employers and organizations in attendance included:

The Nature Conservancy
Schneider Electric
City of Boulder
Growing Gardens
��ֱ�� Energy Office
Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Sanctuary
Garden to Table
Lincoln Hills Care
Design Workshop
��ֱ�� Environmental Center
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (��ֱ��)
Cal-Wood Education Center
Resource Central
OneEnergy Renewables
Friends of Coal Creek
��ֱ�� Parks & Wildlife

It was inspiring to see students engaging in meaningful conversations with employers, environmental advocates, and sustainability experts, all working toward building a greener and more resilient future.

A Huge Thank You to Our Participants!

We extend our deepest gratitude to our panelists, employer representatives, students, and staff who made this event such a success. The Career in the Environment Fair was a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from professionals, explore career opportunities, and build connections in the sustainability sector.

As environmental and sustainability careers continue to expand, events like this are essential in helping students gain industry knowledge, develop professional networks, and prepare for impactful careers in environmental science, policy, and conservation.

We look forward to making next year’s event even bigger and better! If you're interested in learning more about career opportunities in sustainability or staying updated on future events, be sure to follow ��ֱ�� Boulder ENVS and MENV on social media.

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Pushing Boundaries: Masters of the Environment Students Help Aim for Zero Waste at Vail Resort

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 15:46:31 +0000

Pushing Boundaries: Masters of the Environment Students Help Aim for Zero Waste at Vail Resort Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/19/2019 - 08:46

Kenna Bruner

Year long capstone project conducted by three ��ֱ�� Boulder students pursuing a Masters of the Environment (MENV) professional graduate degree teamed up with Vail Resorts Inc. to help the industry leader reach its commitment to send no waste to the landfill by 2030. MENV is an interdisciplinary, applications-focused professional graduate degree in the Environmental Studies Program. Brielle Corry, Callyn Gonzalez and Nina Waysdorf, conducted waste audits at Vail and at Breckenridge Resort to calculate each resort’s potential rate of diversion from the landfill.

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Master's degree helps professionals pivot careers in environmental directions

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 17:10:49 +0000

Master's degree helps professionals pivot careers in environmental directions Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 11/15/2016 - 10:10

Ryan Patterson was looking for a reason to get up in the morning.

Bored with his career in finance, the licensed certified public accountant says he decided to switch to an environmental career after living in Southern California during a drought. Simultaneously, he read about renewable energy companies failing and he realized his finance background could help such environmental companies succeed.

“I felt like I could make a big difference,” Patterson, 26, said.

Patterson said he needed to return to school to achieve his goals, but he didn’t want to pursue a second undergraduate degree.

Instead, he enrolled in ��ֱ�� Boulder’s Masters of the Environment (MENV) program, a professional environmental graduate degree designed for new and early-career professionals.

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MENV

Building Careers in Sustainability: Highlights from ����ֱ�� Boulder’s First Career in the Environment Fair

State of the Field Panel: Insights from Industry Experts

Career Exploration Expo: Connecting Students with

Opportunities

A Huge Thank You to Our Participants!

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Pushing Boundaries: Masters of the Environment Students Help Aim for Zero Waste at Vail Resort

Off

Master's degree helps professionals pivot careers in environmental directions

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Building Careers in Sustainability: Highlights from ��ֱ�� Boulder’s First Career in the Environment Fair