Moody College celebrates Earth Day
Moody College celebrates Earth Day
How the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute honors Earth Day practices every day, and how you can, too
The University of Texas at Austin’s Global Sustainability Leadership Institute teaches students how to incorporate sustainability into their professional careers.
The collaboration between the Moody College of Communication and the McCombs School of Business goes beyond the science of environmental responsibility by also looking at business strategy and communications.
“If you can’t ensure that you are communicating properly to people, then you’re not going to be able to create buy-in for them to join you on your sustainability journey both on the consumer side and the internal side,” said Madison Gove Khamooshi, a senior program manager for the institute.
One of the key ways it achieves that is through its leadership in global sustainability minor. Courses in corporate sustainability, sustainability communication and science are part of the 17 required credit hours. Other electives are offered in communications and business.
This coursework allows students to understand how change can be made in four concentrations: corporate sustainability, communications and disclosure, impact entrepreneurship and innovation, and sustainable finance.
“We’re trying to help future leaders think through how to create the change that is needed, and our scientists are showing us what we need to do,” Gove Khamooshi said. “They’re creating the ‘what needs to happen,’ while we’re doing the ‘what we actually need to implement.’”
“We’re trying to help future leaders think through how to create the change that is needed, and our scientists are showing us what we need to do,” Gove Khamooshi said. “They’re creating the ‘what needs to happen,’ while we’re doing the ‘what we actually need to implement.’”
The Global Sustainability Leadership Institute was founded in 2017 as the Social Innovation Initiative.
John Schwartz, a professor of practice in the School of Journalism and Media, teaches coursework for the minor and encourages students to apply to the program. Having a college education that has a focus on sustainability is amazing for future employers to see, Schwartz said.
“We are out there for anyone who just wants a general education around sustainability and how to incorporate it into their professional careers,” Gove Khamooshi said.
The faculty, coursework and resources offered by the institute give students the skills to improve themselves in their professional and personal lives, and on this Earth Day.
“I am grateful every day I am able to live in such a beautiful place.”
The first Earth Day took place in 1970. Millions of people in the U.S. came together to fight for environmental awareness and to oppose environmental degradation.
Shortly after, the federal government created the Environmental Protection Agency, which works to protect human health and the environment, and passed the Clean Air and Water Acts, which regulate quality standards and emissions.
Locally, Austin has an abundance of organizations and opportunities for people interested in sustainability. The Save Barton Creek Association, for example, works to protect and conserve the plants, animals and water quality of Barton Creek and the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer, and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center uses native plants to restore and create sustainable, beautiful landscapes.
Schwartz said it’s important to practice being a green citizen each day, not just on Earth Day. He recommended “forest bathing,” a Japanese term for immersing yourself in the natural environment. Spending more time outside with nature and incorporating small practices into your life can make a huge difference, he said.
“I am grateful every day I am able to live in such a beautiful place,” Schwartz said.
We hope everyone can get outside and do some forest bathing soon. Happy Earth Day from Moody College!
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