State of Sustainability: 2022

Autumn Rivera is a 6th grade science teacher in Gleenwood Springs, CO. In recent years, Rivera worked with students as part of a larger grassroots effort to save Sweetwater lake from development. She was recently named Colorado's 2022 Teacher of the Year and was one of four finalists for National Teacher of the Year.

Henry Ansbacher is a four-time Emmy Award winner and Academy Award Nominee for producing films and television series that raise awareness and motivates change around a social or cultural issue. His works concerning sustainability and the environment include:  They Killed Sister Dorothy  and  American Mustang the Movie.  

Jane Lubenchenco is an American environmental scientist and marine ecologist who teaches and conducts research at Oregon State University. Her research interests include interactions between the environment and human wellbeing, biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable use of oceans and the planet. She was also the administrator for NOAA during 2009-2013 and was awarded the MacArthur "Genius Award" in 1993.

Marcia McNutt an American geophyscist and the 22nd president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). McNutt was the 15th director of the United States Geographical Survey (USGS) (the first woman to hold the post) as well as science adviser to the United States Secretary of the Interior from 2010 to 2013.

Benjamin Swift is a senior sociology major who was a driving force behind Crested Butte, CO's single-use plastic ban in 2018. Following the onset of COVID-19, Swift and a close friend began  People Place Power , a podcast exploring big questions around global activism through the eyes of activists creating change in unprecedented and underreported ways. Season 1, Ep. 3 covers legendary Colorado climate activist, billy barr.

Ian Miller was named chief scientist and innovation officer at the National Geographic Society in July 2021. Previously, he was director of the Earth and Space Sciences at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. At the NGS, Ian will ensure that science continues to be foundational to the organization’s programs.

Gabriella Palko fills multiple roles, including as a radio host and producer at the local NPR affiliate, as a freelancer creating words, photos, and other creative work for outdoor brands, and as an environmental consultant helping public and private sector entities develop and implement sustainability goals. “That’s my job: I’m getting paid to try to make this world a better place!”

Associate Professor of Environmental Program Prof. Lee's research focuses on three specific research areas: 1) understanding the consequences of multinational agreements, especially at the local level, 2) the role of institutions in the governing of common property resources, and 3) the ways in which sustainable development can be equitable. She investigates these relationships by applying theories and tools from the fields of economics, sociology, and anthropology.

Professor of Environmental Education and   TREE Semester  Program Director Prof. Drossman's interests lie in scientific and environmental curricular reform, ecosystem ecology and environmental chemistry, environmental non-profit organizations, and chemistry and bioanalytical chemistry. He is also a co-founder and board member of the  Catamount Institute   and recently received a lifetime achievement award from the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education.

Director,  State of the Rockies,  Faculty Director,  Public Interest Fellowship Program  &  Non-Profit Initiatives  and Assistant Professor of Economics & Business. Director,  State of the Rockies ,  Faculty Director,  Public Interest Fellowship Program  &  Non-Profit Initiatives , and Assistant Professor of Economics & Business. Prof. Miller-Stevens' explores the ways in which social movements and collaborations create social change to influence policymakers, powerful industries, and institutions. Her work addresses environmental-focused social movements and their intersection with social justice and environmental justice issues.

Professor Southwest Studies and Associate Director Environmental Studies Program Prof. Perramond is a human-environment geographer and a political ecologist. Eric has researched New Mexican stories of the water rights adjudication process in New Mexico, its effects on local, regional, and state water governance, and what that state's experience has to offer other states in the American West. He is now addressing how "decolonizing" conservation efforts in the Greater Southwest, such as the recent Bears Ears National Monument establishment, might shape a more inclusive future for environmental conservation writ large.

Professor of Philosophy Prof. Hordequin specializes in environmental philosophy. Her research and teaching interests also include ethics, philosophy of science, and comparative philosophy. Her current research focuses on climate ethics, climate justice, the social and ethical dimensions of solar geoengineering, and relational approaches to environmental ethics

Associate Professor and Chair of Organismal Biology and Ecology Prof. Heschel researches the physiological ecology of plant populations, particularly in stressful environments; local adaptation and the evolution of physiological mechanisms; factors driving the local extinction of plant populations; conservation genetics.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Program Prof. Angstadt teaches and researches at the nexus of environmental law and environmental politics. He explores (1) how domestic courts and nonstate actors influence the development of international environmental law, (2) how international environmental law is incorporated into domestic judicial systems, (3) how judges and courts can promote environmental protection and environmental justice, and (4) how the disciplines and theories of international environmental law and global environmental politics can speak meaningfully to one another.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Program Prof. Gabrielsen is a landscape ecologist who uses geospatial modeling and field-based approaches to examine how landscape patterns and ecological processes affect biodiversity, ecosystem function, and human dimensions across spatial and temporal scales.

The  Butler Center  works to inspire and foster an equitable intellectual and social climate that is inclusive and respectful of human dignity. Named for one of the earliest African American alums who invested in the future of CC, serves as the college center for diversity, inclusion, intercultural exchange, equity, and empowerment for the entire Colorado College community. The Butler Center resist all forms and manifestations of oppression through our commitment to these principles; and utilizes them as a catalyst for this critical work shared by many departments and people at the college. This work is sometimes uncomfortable and challenging, but always incredibly rewarding for the CC community.

The  Bridge Scholars Program  is a year-long program that offers a welcoming community, supportive mentoring, and engaging and challenging coursework for first-year students from under-represented communities. Bridge Scholars arrive on campus two weeks before the start of New Student Orientation and enroll in a rigorous two-week intensive interdisciplinary course to experience the student-centered CC classroom, learn about the supportive network of campus resources, work closely with student mentors and faculty mentors, and engage in a vibrant community fellow scholars.

The  Indigenous Studies Thematic Minor  (ISTM) which puts indigenous knowledge and experience at the center of learning. In using contemporary models of studying indigenous culture, history, and sciences, we can disrupt western mythologies of wilderness, discovery, benevolent settlers, and many more.

The Diversity and Equity Advisory Board (DEAB) was formed to serve as an advisory group to the President of the College and the Cabinet on all matters related to diversity and equity regarding staff and faculty. Taking an intersectional approach, the Board expands the work of the former Women's Concerns and Minority Concerns committees, which were under the purview of the Faculty Executive Committee, to include race and ethnicity; gender, sex, and sexual orientation; and disability. 

Beginning with the 2020 entering class, Colorado College has made a  pledge  to address affordability for Colorado residents. In-state students with a gross annual family income of under $125,000 will not have any parental contribution for tuition, room, and board.

The   Stroud Scholars  program honors two of the earliest African-American students to graduate from Colorado College, Kelley Dolphus Stroud '31 and Effie Stroud Frazier '31. The program prepares students for selective college environments by working directly with youth to provide academic preparation, mentorship, and guidance in navigating admissions and financial aid processes to CC or another intentionally chosen college or institution.

In making Colorado College's admission process test optional, we have strengthened our commitment to never treating students as numbers in either the admissions process or in the classroom. This commitment will allow Colorado College to identify the most qualified candidates for admission while also increasing access for first-generation, low-income, and underserved students.