Sustainability

Are you intrigued by the interconnections of economic prosperity, societal well-being, and ecological stability? If you want to make a positive impact on the world, then come explore sustainability with us. Our graduates join the Peace Corps; are set up for success at some of the nation’s best graduate schools; and enter careers in energy economics, restoration ecology, journalism, natural resource management, policy and justice, sustainable finance, renewable energy, and socially conscious retail, investment, and food businesses.

Overview

What sets Prin apart?

You’ll have a huge 2,600-acre campus and connections throughout St. Louis, the Riverbend community, and the globe as your proving ground as a sustainability student at Principia. Whether you travel on a study abroad to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands or help local businesses attain green certifications, you’ll find Principia’s sustainability courses and experiences robust and varied. You’ll also:

Develop transferable skills, such as systems thinking, “triple bottom line” problem solving, leadership, and communication skills.
Design and implement sustainability projects on campus such as—beekeeping, aquaponics, permaculture, water and energy use, recycling, composting, land stewardship, and community outreach.
Get involved in operational policies by developing green purchasing standards, zero-waste road maps, and greenhouse-emission targets.
Travel to regional, national, and international conferences.
Visit and network with a variety of organizations involved in sustainable business or product design, green building, renewable energy, social entrepreneurship, conservation biology, and sustainable development.
Take part on career-related internships and community-service opportunities in state government, at the Owl Research Institute, on Three Rivers Community Farm, through AmeriCorps, with The Willows, and for the Evergreen Institute.
Partner with faculty on research projects, such as studying the home range and habitat use of the timber rattlesnake in Principia’s forests.
Be able to join the student-run Sustainability Club.
Have the option to earn professional credentials, such as the LEED Green Associate credential, Permaculture Design Certificate, or Home Energy Auditor license.
Become part of Principia College's Center for Sustainability.

The recent Ecuador and the Galapagos Study Abroad focused on natural history and philosophy, including the study of green sea turtles.

Learn more about study abroad opportunities

Local Partnerships

Sugarbush Management

After Principia

Sustainability students go on to graduate schools such as:

Duke University
George Washington University
University of London
University of California Santa Barbara
Jawaraharlal Nehrun University, New Delhi

Our sustainability graduates have recently landed jobs in:

Peace Corps (Guinea, Africa)
Environmental Defense Fund
Energy Resources Group
Patagonia
Boeing

Faculty

Study-Abroad Programs

Principia study-abroad programs are open to all students, and you’re encouraged to apply to any abroad program that interests you—even if the abroad isn’t your primary area of study. Your passport to international learning starts here—Principia College Study Abroad.

Course Catalog

Find complete course listings and program requirements in our Course Catalog.

Sustainability

Overview

What sets Prin apart?

After Principia

Faculty

Study-Abroad Programs

Course Catalog

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