The Top Five Reasons To Apply To Presidio Graduate School

If you’re looking for a graduate program to challenge your thinking and provide the skills and network to help position you for a changemaker career, look no further! A Presidio MBA in sustainability will equip you for a career in sustainability that will let you live your personal mission. Here are the top five reasons to apply to Presidio Graduate School.

1. The world is changing fast and your skills should, too.

There are countless industries today that didn’t exist 10 years ago. This innovation shows no signs of slowing down. Many businesses and their leaders are grappling with the implications of these new technologies and new ideas. How do we ethically engage with blockchain as a tool for tracking and holding corporations responsible for their supply chains? How do we build businesses that are effective without being extractive? 

These pressing questions require systems thinking which is a key theme at Presidio. Our students learn how to approach problems, identify where leverage points are, and evaluate probable outcomes—skills that make them strong leaders and sought-after hires in this increasingly complex world. 

2. Presidio has developed virtual and hybrid education models that work for students.

Many graduate schools are still figuring out how to use virtual instruction, even after a year of pandemic-induced practice. Presidio has been using a hybrid education model for several years, which allowed us to adapt quickly to meet a need for online-only learning. Our practiced hybrid style understands our students’ need for the flexibility of virtual classes, as well as access to the benefits of the fellowship and collaboration of in-person sessions. 

In addition, our hybrid structure means professors and practitioners work at other exciting institutions which build bridges of information-sharing allowing students exposure to thought circles outside of an academic echo chamber. This is why Presidio has always taught through a hybrid education model to make our graduate programs affordable and adaptable while still being robust and challenging.

3. Businesses are searching for justice and sustainability leadership. 

Sustainability does not exist without social justice, and vice versa. Many companies are beginning to realize this crucial justice-based relationship and have created roles in the C-Suite to match. The UN estimates that 24 million sustainability jobs will be created by 2030 around the world. Organizations large and small have noticed the leadership and capabilities of Presidio graduates. A quick search through LinkedIn shows how many Presidio alumni have become leaders in corporate sustainability, outreach, and innovation departments. 

Fortune 500 companies don’t just seek out Presidio graduates to join their organizations after graduation—they also work with Presidio students through experiential learning projects and with our alumni and faculty in consulting projects via PGS Consults, our in-house management consultancy. Our experiential learning classes revolve around real-time group consulting projects for multiple teams per class at organizations ranging from large tech corporations to nonprofits and entrepreneurial startups, and these projects provide resume-building credentials enabling our students to graduate with a portfolio of expertise. These projects also allow Presidio students to form valuable professional relationships and discover career possibilities to explore. They also serve as key stepping stones for our students to get their dream jobs after graduation. 

4. Our growing alumni network of sustainability professionals is ready to collaborate with you on your next project. 

The Presidio professional and alumni network is strong because of a shared passionate commitment to sustainability and justice work. Presidio students and alums are often known to have an entrepreneurial spirit, something that pairs well with the outside-of-the-box, systems-thinking mindset that they’re drawn to at our school in the first place. 

The aspect of Presidio that is probably the favorite of every student, though, is the collaborative and supportive nature of the community. Our entrepreneurs often credit the Presidio network as a central part of their success, helping them get started through funding, advice, connections, and friendship. Check out how Presidio alum Peter Glenn founded an electric vehicle startup with the help of his Presidio network.

5. Change outside of ourselves begins with a change inside. 

The events of 2020 illustrated the impact of operational challenges in our economy that affected the delivery of everything from PPE to school lunches. We have witnessed the glaring need for structural change to rid our society’s institutions of unjust and inherently racist systems. None of these changes come from continuing with the status quo. We are proud that Presidio faculty, staff, alumni, and students have all been active participants in creating networks for ushering in positive change in life-altering challenges. 

If you have felt frustrated about not knowing how to get involved or really make an impact, we invite you to consider Presidio Graduate School. There’s no better time than now to make a change—for yourself and for the world.

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As the owner of a long-standing vintage clothing business, Heather Openshaw has years of experience in customer service. She formerly worked with the City of Nashville’s Public Works Waste Reduction Department to develop a county-wide recycling audit program. She is currently a dual MBA/MPA candidate at Presidio Graduate School with a focus on accessible and sustainable lifestyle design. She lives in Davis, WV.

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