From the Classroom

Article Item

Saving the American French fry: climate change impacts on agriculture , article
Online MNR student Brett Hundley examines climate adaptation strategies for potatoes grown in the U.S. Pacific Northwest as part of his program coursework.
Date: Jul 06, 2021
Article Item

My cultural confession: we are not all the same and it’s a good thing. , article
“I used to think that I was culturally compelling. That I was empathetic and adaptable to other cultures. And while that may be true, it doesn’t necessarily translate to mean that I am a global citizen,” writes Jodi Greenlee, a recent alumna of the Executive Master of Natural Resources (XMNR) program. In this blog post, Jodi examines what it means to be interculturally competent.
Date: Feb 09, 2021
Article Item

XMNR students and alumni put the concept of climate resilience into practice , article
“‘Resilience’ has become a recurring theme, not only in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in the way that we tackle climate change and sustainable development,” points out recent XMNR alum Garrett Davidson in his post about Resilient Virginia, a non-profit working on accelerating resiliency planning in communities across the state.
Date: Jan 05, 2021
Article Item

Can the pandemic force us to build better food systems? , article
“Exploring the space where landscape architecture and urban planning overlap, I seek to understand causes and explore solutions to social injustice from a different perspective. Food policy, food systems resilience, and urban agriculture are the areas of deep interest to me,” says Lynda S. Ramirez-Blust, a student in our Urban Ecology course.
Date: Nov 12, 2020
Article Item

Solving complex sustainability issues starts with clear communication , article
Sustainability 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 , article
Amy 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 , article
Dr. 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 , article
The 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

Applying XMNR Lessons in the Field , article
When 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