Peru State building degree program with environmental focus

PERU - Peru State College has announced an undergraduate major focusing on environmental sustainability.

The college is establishing an endowment for a position that will develop the new degree program and teach sections of the “Earth and its Biodiversity” course, as well as developing research experience options.

Peru State President Michael Evans said the inaugural holder of the Wheeler Distinguished Chair will create opportunities for students to turn their education into action.

A college press release says the Environmental Management, Policy and Sustainability degree will prepare Peru State students to view real-world environmental problems through the lenses of policy and management and apply that view to various career fields.

The college credits Dr. Al Wheeler Jr. for a donation that makes it possible for the first distinguished chair position in the Nebraska State College system.

Dr. Wheeler approached Peru State in 2022 with the idea for a degree program that will bring the environmental perspective into the planning process for students.

Here is the college's press release

Peru State Creates First Distinguished Chair Position in Nebraska State College System

Peru, Nebraska – The Board of Trustees at Peru State College has voted to create an endowment for the Al Wheeler, Jr. Distinguished Chair in Environmental Management, Policy, and Sustainability. Dr. Al Wheeler, Jr., provided a generous gift that made the position possible. It will be the first endowed chair in the Nebraska State College system. The search for the inaugural holder is currently in process.

Dr. Wheeler approached Peru State College in the summer of 2022 with an idea for a degree program bringing an environmental perspective into the planning process for students to help businesses, farms, cities, and towns meet their long-term goals. This idea developed into the “Environmental Management, Policy, and Sustainability” (EMPS) program, which will be the first in Nebraska with that title. The program will also make Peru State College the only public institution in Nebraska to offer an undergraduate major focusing on environmental sustainability.

“We are deeply honored that Dr. Wheeler has brought this opportunity to Peru State College,” said Dr. Michael Evans, President of Peru State College. “His generous gift will open new, exciting educational experiences for our biology students and support student research and engagement in truly meaningful ways.”

The inaugural holder of the Wheeler Distinguished Chair position will develop the new EMPS degree program and teach a normal load within the program, including as many sections of the new “Earth and its Biodiversity” course as feasible. Other duties will include creating and leading significant student-engagement experiences related to the EMPS program. One such experience that the new Chair will be encouraged to develop will be an optional two-or-three-week research experience at UNL’s Cedar Point Biological station or similar field station.

“It will be a joy to watch the inaugural holder of the Wheeler Distinguished Chair build the program and create opportunities for our students to turn their education into action,” said Dr. Evans.

The EMPS degree will prepare Peru State students to view real-world environmental problems through the lenses of policy and management and apply that view to various career fields. Sustainability careers will remain in demand as industries continue emphasizing environmental consciousness and

sustainability goals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7,800 openings for environmental scientists and specialists each year, on average, over the next decade.1

Nestled in the hills of historic southeast Nebraska, Peru State College offers a mix of innovative online and traditional classroom undergraduate and graduate programs, including online graduate degrees in education and organizational management.

Established in 1867 as Nebraska’s first college, Peru State has transformed over the past century and a half into a state-of-the-art institution offering diverse, multifaceted educational programs annually to nearly 2,000 students.

1. "Environmental Scientists and Specialists - Bureau of Labor Statistics." 6 Dec. 2022, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/environmental-scientists-and-specialists.htm. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

This press release was contributed by Peru State College Copywriter, Paul Rieken.