From the Classroom
-
Article Item
Solving complex sustainability issues starts with clear communication , articleSustainability issues are complex and often hotly debated. Knowing how to talk about challenging subjects with diverse audiences is key to solving them. Not surprisingly, successful communication starts with empathy—an ability to really listen and put yourself in the shoes of the person or group with whom you’re trying to communicate. Instructor Mary Berry teaches students in our Online Master of Natural Resources program how to become effective sustainability communicators in her course Leadership Communication for Sustainability Professionals.
Date: Oct 20, 2020 -
Article Item
Virginia Beach: bracing for local impact of global climate change , article“Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its effects reflect local and regional conditions. Developing and selecting adaptation strategies that reflect geographic idiosyncrasies, as well as the needs and values of multiple stakeholders, isn’t always easy,” writes Jennie Hoffman, marine ecologist and one of the newest XMNR faculty members.
Date: Oct 13, 2020 -
Article Item
The Making of a Virtual XMNR Cohort: a Producer’s Perspective , articleAmy Hubbard, XMNR Program Associate, shares a candid, behind-the-scenes account of what it takes to bring an in-person, synchronous graduate program entirely online. Amy talks about lessons learned, unexpected benefits of the new format, and plans for the program’s future.
Date: Oct 06, 2020 -
Article Item
XMNR students develop key competencies for global change , articleDr. David Robertson, Founding Director of the XMNR program, discusses the leadership skills sustainability professionals require to take on the challenges of the Anthropocene. “Traditional problem-solving tools, such as technology, expertise, rationality, and authority, remain useful but are no longer sufficient,” he says. “We need new approaches to leadership that will help stakeholders connect, collaborate, and adapt in the future.”
Date: Sep 02, 2020 -
Article Item
XMNR student applies classroom lessons to her work at the United Nations Foundation to help fight COVID-19 , articleThe emergence of COVID-19 has deeply affected how we address sustainability issues. The pandemic has also upended the way we work. The Director of Global Events for the United Nations Foundation and Executive Master of Natural Resources (XMNR) student Beth Feliciano has witnessed both first hand. Her portfolio now includes raising funds for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization, as a unique way for individuals and companies to contribute directly to the global fight against the pandemic. Learn more about Beth's work and ways you can participate in the fund's efforts.
Date: Jun 08, 2020 -
Article Item
Clean Water for All: How Public–Private Partnerships Work with Communities , articleWith all the rigorous hand washing everyone is doing these days, the subject of water is top of mind. Yet availability of water is not a given, globally or in the United States. Students in our Executive Master of Natural Resources (XMNR) program explore water challenges, strategies, and solutions as a focus area each year. Specifically, XMNR students examine the innovative Clean Water Partnership (CWP) in Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a case study for “partnering for water.”
Date: May 12, 2020 -
Article Item
Unplugged: Leading Online Students Beyond the Screen , articleHow many ZOOM meetings does it take to deliver a high-quality online learning experience to graduate students in environmental sustainability? Zero. Dr. Kieran Lindsey, Associate Director for Online Programs at CLiGS, talks about innovative teaching approaches our faculty have developed over the years to create a rich learning experience for students. “Once virtual educators, including Online MNR faculty, began to think outside the lecture-centric classroom box, they realized students don’t have to be looking at a screen to learn,” she says.
Date: May 05, 2020 -
Article Item
Understanding global issues is more important than ever , articleGlobal sustainability challenges affect all people on the planet and it is up to people to address pervasive issues like climate change, poverty, hunger, equitable economic development, and more. Sustainability professionals are on the forefront of that effort. To succeed, they need to understand the complexity, interconnectedness, and depth of the issues in front of them. To zero in on what different regions throughout the world are experiencing, instructors like Dr. Omchand Mahdu help students acquire the cultural and technical skill sets they need to successfully immerse themselves in these regions.
Date: Apr 23, 2020 -
Article Item
Applying XMNR Lessons in the Field , articleWhen considering grad school, people often wonder whether the investment of time, effort, and resources will pay off. And if so, when? Tyler Walston is currently about half-way through the Executive Master of Natural Resources (XMNR) graduate program at the Virginia Tech Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability, and what he's learning in class, and through team and individual assignments, he has applied directly to his current job responsibilities.
Date: Jun 25, 2019 -
Article Item
Who am I to change the world? , articleIn these early days of the Executive Masters of Natural Resources Program at Virginia Tech, my fellow classmates and I are getting to know ourselves and one another, perhaps in ways, we had not considered upon entering this program. We are learning ways to build trust, as we establish working relationships towards our common goal, which is to learn and grow as sustainability leaders.
Date: Mar 25, 2019
Page 1 of 9 | 83 Results
