About
Faced as we are by escalating costs of energy, shrinking supplies of fresh water, and global climate change, Wisconsin and the United States need to pay increased attention to our use of natural resources, and to how our business practices impact human welfare. Beginning in 2007, University of Wisconsin-Extension, in collaboration with UW-Parkside, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, and UW-Superior, set out to examine these issues, conducting market research to evaluate demand for a bachelor's degree program for students interested in addressing these critical environmental, social, and business challenges.
Our findings showed that in 2007 only four undergraduate programs in the United States offered sustainability programs. All were at small liberal arts colleges, none were in Wisconsin, and none were offered online. In other words, we found very few undergraduate programs—and none at the top-tier institutions—that focused specifically on developing effective, engaged, and informed leaders capable of understanding both business systems and natural systems, leaders who would be able to bring to industry relevant and applicable knowledge that would enable businesses to be profitable and to contribute to global sustainability.
To fill this gap, the collaborative University of Wisconsin campuses created the Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management, a degree completion program..
National and state businesses were consulted for input on the competencies that Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management graduates would need in order to be particularly valuable employees. The corporations we spoke to expressed strong support for the program, and the information they provided has been used in developing our curriculum.
While other institutions have recently begun to develop programs with similar goals, the UW collaborative Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management is distinguished by its focus on adult and nontraditional students, its online mode of delivery, and its multi-institutional, cross-disciplinary support—a truly unique approach for addressing future sustainability needs.
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The Adult Student Scholarship Fund directly supports adult and nontraditional students who need financial help. Many adult students are parents trying to go to school, take care of their families, and support their communities. Others care for their aging parents while trying to take a class or finish a degree, and still others struggle to make ends meet, work multiple jobs, manage families, and go to school part-time. Every dollar that you give to this fund goes to defray the costs of education for adult and nontraditional students, and funds are allocated on the basis of need.
To support the Adult Student Scholarship Fund, you can give online at the University of Wisconsin Foundation or fill out and mail a pledge form. Please designate Outreach and E-Learning Extension on the form.
If you would like to speak with someone about making a major gift or a planned gift, please call 608-263-4545.
Thank you for your support.