Georgetown’s M.S. in Environment and Sustainability Management Welcomes a Global Class
Georgetown University’s M.S. in Environment and Sustainability Management (ESM) program welcomed a new cohort of students this fall who bring a breadth of academic and professional experience from locations around the world.
The 47 students in the Class of 2026 represent 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Kenya, Mexico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Collectively, they speak 18 languages, ranging from American Sign Language and Chinese to French, German, Korean, and Spanish. On average, students are 25 years old with two years of work experience.
“Each of the students in our newest cohort bring distinct perspectives shaped by their experiences across different fields and regions,” said Kerrie Carfagno, associate teaching professor and ESM program director. “Their contributions will enrich our cohort’s learning environment and foster the exchange of ideas that is central to our mission”
The incoming cohort holds an average GPA of 3.5 from undergraduate studies spanning a variety of disciplines, including environmental or natural sciences, social and behavioral sciences, business and finance, and architecture and design.
The ESM degree was created in collaboration with the McDonough School of Business, Earth Commons Institute, and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, with the understanding that science and business principles are both critical to achieving sustainability goals across the globe. The full-time, 10-month interdisciplinary ESM program combines principles of environmental science with a foundation in business management to ensure graduates are prepared to become principled leaders in environment and sustainability.
“Our program prepares graduates to address today’s most pressing challenges by combining academic rigor with real-world application,” said Vishal Agrawal, Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business and co-academic director of the ESM program. “This cohort embodies the commitment, creativity, and global awareness needed to make a lasting impact.”
The STEM-designated program covers a range of science and business topics. Through the program’s capstone course, students have the opportunity to collaborate with organizations and gain hands-on experience creating solutions to some of the biggest sustainability challenges.
As part of the ESM program, students also have the opportunity to work directly with career coaching staff in the McDonough Career Center to identify career paths and goals. The program’s robust curriculum and experiences prepare graduates to enter a variety of fields, including consulting, public relations, government and NGOs, and supply chain management.
Additionally, students have access to the Business of Sustainability Initiative and Earth Commons Institute, which offer co-curricular programming, networking opportunities, and events to further enrich their professional and academic development.
