Preparing students for world-changing careers
Join us to…
EXPLORE the world’s most pressing issues, from racial and economic injustice, to unsustainable food systems and food insecurity, to climate change
ANALYZE the social, economic, and environmental transformations necessary to address them
DEVELOP the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience to make a difference
DISCOVER how you can join the people and organizations leading change
IMAGINE thriving, equitable, and sustainable communities within an ecologically healthy world
Welcome letter from the Department Chair, Dr. Laird Christensen
News
SD Student Sophie Schneider Selected as Chancellor's Scholar
Oct 21, 2026
The College of Fine and Applied Arts is proud to recognize Sophie Schneider, a Sustainable Development major with a concentration in Agroecology and S...
SD Student Kate Borkowski Summits Mt. Kilimanjaro
Oct 11, 2026
Sustainable Development (SD) sophomore Kate Borkowski recently traveled to Tanzania to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, a snow-capped volcano that is Africa’...
The Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Department Hosts Inaugural "Front Porch” Event
Oct 8, 2026
On Wednesday, September 16th, The Goodnight Family Sustainable Development (SD) Department hosted the inaugural event of its “Front Porch” series....
What Our Alumni Are Saying
"My SD degree exposed me to several different aspects of sustainability - a concept which can be applied to most any field. Getting exposure to so many different disciplines within that realm helped me to figure out exactly what I wanted to do after graduation. The coursework and hands-on experiences that I had at Appalachian also gave me the right tools to live a healthy, proactive and conscious life as an adult. I continue to sing the praises of the SD department at Appalachian, and my time spent with that work and those professors has truly changed my life for the better.
I can't speak more highly of the SD department. As a student who saw it finally become its own accredited department offering both a BA and a BS, it has really been a pleasure to see how things have continued to evolve since graduation. The lessons I learned and friendships that I made during my time there are things that I carry with me everyday, and I love to tell other people about the incredible experience that I had with SD at Appalachian. I can't say that I have a single regret about choosing Appalachian or about my degree and coursework. Keep it up - you all are doing great things!"