{"id":10521,"date":"2024-02-06T09:00:50","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T15:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&#038;p=10521"},"modified":"2024-02-06T09:00:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T15:00:50","slug":"ready-to-change-the-world-holly-folyer-found-uw-superiors-online-sustainability-management-program-to-be-a-perfect-fit","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/ready-to-change-the-world-holly-folyer-found-uw-superiors-online-sustainability-management-program-to-be-a-perfect-fit\/","title":{"rendered":"Ready to change the world: Holly Folyer found UW-Superior\u2019s online sustainability management program to be a perfect fit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2024\/01\/SUP_online-sustainability-mgmt_Holly-Folyer_Sakib_WSBC-Conference_900x600.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-10524\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2024\/01\/SUP_online-sustainability-mgmt_Holly-Folyer_Sakib_WSBC-Conference_900x600.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of UW-Superior student Holly Folyer and Sakib Mahmud, Ph.D., a professor of sustainable management and economics at UW-Superior\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2024\/01\/SUP_online-sustainability-mgmt_Holly-Folyer_Sakib_WSBC-Conference_900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2024\/01\/SUP_online-sustainability-mgmt_Holly-Folyer_Sakib_WSBC-Conference_900x600-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/378\/2024\/01\/SUP_online-sustainability-mgmt_Holly-Folyer_Sakib_WSBC-Conference_900x600-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sustainability: This important buzzword is ubiquitous these days. And, with good reason. The future of our earth \u2013 and its inhabitants \u2013 depends on a deeper understanding of climate change, which all circles back to sustainability.<\/p>\n<p>The University of Wisconsin-Superior offers a degree track which caters to this exact field of study. It\u2019s called\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwsuper.edu\/program\/sustainable-management-2\/\">sustainable management<\/a>. Both bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s programs are available, in a fully online format.<\/p>\n<p>This program is offered through a collaboration with other UWs and UW Extended Campus. Students can live anywhere, but must declare a \u201chome\u201d university, such as UW-Superior.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-rapid-growth\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rapid Growth<\/h3>\n<p>The program is growing rapidly, noted\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwsuper.edu\/about\/faculty-staff-directory\/mahmud-sakib\/?_rt=MXwxfHNha2liIG1haG11ZHwxNzA1NDIyNjY0&amp;_rt_nonce=2809f61555\">Sakib Mahmud<\/a>, Ph.D., a professor of sustainable management and economics at UWS. \u201cMany young folks are passionate about climate change and climate action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe currently have 82 students; 35 of which are enrolled through UW-Superior. We have the highest number of students, and I think it\u2019s because of our location \u2013 students who choose this field of study select UWS because of Lake Superior, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), our green space and our beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Upon graduation, a degree in sustainable management is incredibly versatile. Mahmud shared some of the career tracks available to students, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sustainability consultant<\/li>\n<li>Solar consultant<\/li>\n<li>Sustainability director<\/li>\n<li>Green energy consultant<\/li>\n<li>Environmental planner<\/li>\n<li>Climate change consultant<\/li>\n<li>Zero waste manager<\/li>\n<li>Environmental health &amp; safety manager<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cThis program is not only versatile, but flexible,\u201d he noted. \u201cWe can provide you with the resources. But ultimately, your career is all about your passion; your motivation; your strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-54146\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsuper.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/HollyFolyer400x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" \/><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"h-holly-s-story\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Holly\u2019s Story<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Holly Folyer, who lives in Neenah, Wisconsin, is currently enrolled in the program, and expects to graduate in December 2024. Folyer had previously earned an associate\u2019s degree in marketing \u2013 and worked in the field for a time \u2013 but ultimately made the decision to pivot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found that my degree in marketing and my experience just didn\u2019t align with my values anymore,\u201d she said. \u201cMarketing is highly focused on consumption. I no longer want to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So, she chose to study sustainable management, noting, \u201cThis felt like a good opportunity to explore environmental topics that interested me, but also use my business skills.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She chose UW-Superior as her \u201chome campus,\u201d after doing plenty of research.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI dug into each campus,\u201d she said. \u201cIn researching UWS, I learned that the faculty and professors had professional backgrounds \u2013 in areas like environmental studies, business and economics \u2013 that aligned with the path that I wanted to pursue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Folyer shared some of what she has studied in the sustainability management program.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve studied topics which are sometimes referred to as \u2018ESG\u2019 \u2013 environmental, social, and governance,\u201d she said. \u201cSpecifically, we\u2019ve covered environmental science, triple bottom line accounting, supply chain, business\/policy, energy, waste management, renewables and more. We\u2019ve had to learn \u2018systems thinking\u2019 in all components.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Upon graduation, Folyer is keeping her career options open.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSustainability is complex,\u201d she said. \u201cUltimately, I want to be part of the adaptation and advancement of society. I\u2019m exploring the fields of business and wastewater, but I\u2019m not limiting myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"h-flexible-online-format\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Flexible Online Format<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The online format has been very accommodating for Folyer\u2019s busy life. She and her partner, Eric, have an eight-year-old son, Oliver, and several pets. Folyer is also currently completing an internship for the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGoing into this program, I had reservations about whether it would be a rewarding academic pursuit \u2013 in particular, by going from in-person to fully online,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut every professor makes themselves available via email and Zoom. There is a level of personality that comes through.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s integrative with the entire UW system, too,\u201d she added. \u201cThat\u2019s how you get such a rich experience. And I can have online, real-time conversations with my classmates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t just want a piece of paper. Within this program, there is ample opportunity for growth, academic exploration, and networking. I would absolutely recommend it to others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHere at UWS, we believe that \u2018small is beautiful,\u2019\u201d added Mahmud. \u201cWe focus on the relationships between faculty and students, and prioritize good understanding and repertoire with our students, even online. We want to make sure they\u2019ll succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Written by UW-Superior<\/p>\n<p>Link to original story: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uwsuper.edu\/about\/news\/ready-to-change-the-world\/\">https:\/\/www.uwsuper.edu\/about\/news\/ready-to-change-the-world\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sustainability: This important buzzword is ubiquitous these days. And, with good reason. The future of our earth \u2013 and its inhabitants \u2013 depends on a deeper understanding of climate change, which all circles back to sustainability. The University of Wisconsin-Superior offers a degree track which caters to this exact field of study. It\u2019s called\u00a0sustainable management. 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