Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability Management (MSESM) Program Associate Director of Marketing and Recruitment, Lindsey Jamieson welcomed 53 new members to an initiative that aims to address environmental and sustainability issues through the business sector. 

The program created by the Earth Commons Institute, an organization devoted to the research and education of environmental problems, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the McDonough School of Business, welcomed its inaugural class in August 2022.

After a year of experience under their belt and a new director for the MS-ESM, Kerrie Carfagno, the master’s program this year will include courses that highlight both science and business like The Economics of Climate Change and Environmental Visualization and Storytelling with Data for this academic year. 

The cohort features students from over six different disciplines and 11 countries. The incoming class of students includes 15% underrepresented minorities, 26% international students and 21% U.S. diversity, according to Jamieson. 

Jamieson expressed her excitement for this year’s cohort because of the growing class size and what that means for the future of the program. 

“Our cohort has increased in size, which is really exciting,” Jamieson told The Hoya. “We’re seeing a lot of interest in the program, and I’m excited to see what they will accomplish.”:

Maya Burney (GRD ’24) is an incoming member of the fall cohort who previously worked in private equity investing in South Africa. She said her prior experience in investment allows her to realize the lack of the collaboration between science and business. 

“The interdisciplinary collaboration that the MS-ESM offers between business and environmental science was incredibly attractive to me,” Burney wrote to The Hoya. “Understanding sustainability and the environment from a sciences point of view and its integral relationship with enterprise, is exactly what I was hoping to gain in knowledge and insights.” 

The desire for a holistic learning approach was precisely what the recruitment team for the MS-ESM program was looking for this year. Jamieson stressed how important it is for the program’s students to have diverse perspectives.

“We want someone with a collaborative mindset, someone who’s obviously passionate about environmental sustainability and then also someone who can bring value to the cohort model, which is really big in our program,” Jamieson told The Hoya.

Jamieson said that the cohort model is a unique approach to an educational program that allows every member of the program to be learning the same content at the same time. 

“The students in the previous cohort formed these really strong bonds and great networking tactics,” Jamieson told The Hoya.

Burney said she can attest to the success of the cohort model, despite only being in the program for a couple of weeks. 

“People make a real difference to any learning experience,” Burney wrote. “Already I can feel the comradery, depth of connection and diversity of perspective that the cohort offers.”

Kerrie Carfagno joined the department in early August as the new director of the MS-ESM program. Jamieson is excited about the new addition of Carfagno and the tools that she can bring to the program. 

“She started in early August but she seems great and really knowledgeable,”  Jamieson said.“I know she’s excited to dive headfirst into the program and help build it out even more.” 

Carfagno hopes to positively contribute to the program by emphasizing the importance of the collaboration between the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the McDonough School of Business. 

“The students get incredible professors from two schools and learn about that intersectionality,” Carfagno told The Hoya. “For example, we just did a case about overfishing and we looked at it from the business side, but before the semester’s out, they’re also going to talk to scientists about what it looks like to have collapse in different species,”

According to Jamieson, in addition to the diverse and interdisciplinary curricula of the program, the career opportunities available after graduation are extensive. 

“That’s kind of the great thing about this program is it gives you the knowledge and tools to kind of be successful for whatever you want to do afterwards,” Jamieson said.

Both Jamieson and Carfagno listed consulting, federal work, law school and research positions as potential opportunities for students at the conclusion of the program, but Burney said she has a more specific goal in mind for herself.

“I hope to be able to integrate environmental considerations within investment decision-making and champion more sustainable and inclusive investment approaches with integrity,” Burney wrote. “This may lead to Investment Officer positions within development financial institutions or private investment funds that are impact inclined, or as a Sustainability Officer in private or public companies seeking to enhance their impact alignment.”

For now, students and staff alike are excited about getting to the heart of the program and the potential outcomes it could have on society. 

“In order to solve our present and future challenges, our world needs more leaders who understand business and our natural ecosystems, and who have the ability to think across specialized fields when faced with complexity,” Burney wrote. “This program addresses the need for such individuals.”