Central College Adds New Green Minor | Environment

Central College in Pella adds a global sustainability minor to its green curriculum. The minor will be offered starting this fall.

“This was our way to take the next step in infusing sustainability education across the curriculum,” said Jim Zaffiro, professor of political science and director of the Center for Global Sustainability. “We needed to offer students who have a career interest in this field a way to connect sustainability to all careers.”

The minor doesn’t just add weight for environmental studies students but also for students of other majors equipping them with the necessary knowledge of the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability and how it is applicable to all career paths.

“The overriding intent is to increase the number of Central students graduating with global sustainability as a significant part of their total academic program,” said Zaffiro. “This minor will make the students more employable because companies will see added value in hiring someone who has not only the requisite educational credentials for the job – accounting, marketing, or education, but in addition the ability to make contributions to the employer by helping to green the company.”

The minor includes 20 to 22 hours of class study. Students are required to complete two courses – Introduction to Environmental Science and Global Sustainability.

Central College is the only school in Iowa to offer global sustainability as a minor. The college is also one of only 30 schools in the country to provide the course.

For more information, please visit www.central.edu.