Sustainability Capstone Project Partner Information


Sustainability Certificate Capstone Projects help clients address pressing sustainability challenges while providing students with an opportunity to apply their academic learning and develop valuable skills.
This partnership is meant to connect you with a talented group of passionate students to build your capacity to address strategic, sustainability priorities and operational challenges. In tandem, students gain valuable professional skills and competencies, and we all benefit from a more connected, invigorated, and sustainable community.


BACKGROUND:
The capstone project is the final requirement of the
Certificate in Sustainability for which students are tasked with developing, managing, and carrying out an applied project in sustainability with a campus or community partner. These projects are meant to provide an opportunity for students to apply their specific discipline/area of expertise and sustainability competencies to local sustainability challenges.


CAPSTONE PROJECTS:
Projects can cover a wide range of activities including but not limited to: research, data collection, data analysis, pilot program development and implementation, education/communication, marketing, event planning, product creation/distribution, installations (such as gardens or habitat), cost benefit analysis, life cycle assessment. Other ideas are welcome.


WHAT TO EXPECT?
Our students are trained to approach this partnership similar to a consultant (the students) and client (you) relationship. They will work with you to determine your project needs and assess how their individual skills and expertise might best address these needs. The Sustainability Capstone Course provides the scaffolding for effective project management. Final deliverables should be agreed upon by all members of the partnership, and the semester will culminate in a final presentation of the project by the students.  Students will spend about 5 hours per week on their capstone project.
Community partners should expect to devote ~10+ hours to the project and meet with student teams at least 5 times over the course of the semester.

 

HOW DOES IT WORK?
1. Once you have submitted a project need and brief description, we will allow students enrolled in the Sustainability Capstone course to rank their top projects. 

2. Based on rankings and the needs of the project, we will identifying a team of students to help address your project goals.
2. Before the start of classes, you will receive an e-mail with your student team and contact information and a schedule for the semester.
3. The students will meet with you the first week or two of classes to learn more about the project and identify deliverables. They will then create a project Workplan and Timeline, which will be shared with you for review and revision.
4. Students will also identify a Subject Matter Expert, typically a faculty member at UGA, with expertise in the project area to provide input and guidance.
5. Teams will meet regularly with you at an agreed upon schedule.
6. Students will submit their final deliverables the last week of the semester.
7. You will also receive and return a team evaluation form that helps inform student grades for the course.
8. Students will present to you and other members of the sustainability community during their final exam period.

Please reach out to scdirector@uga.edu if you have any questions. There is also more information available here:
https://sustainability.uga.edu/certificate/students/capstones/