CPaCE News

Fall 2021 marked the launch of a new graduate degree program at CSULB, the Master of Science in Sustainability Management and Policy (MSSMP). Offered through a joint effort of the university’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts, College of Business, and College of Professional and Continuing Education, the MSSMP program prepares students to apply concepts of sustainability within organizations through advanced training in a variety of management and policy skills. 

On Saturday, November 20th, the very first cohort of MSSMP students were invited to a special event at Rancho Los Cerritos, a historic site within the City of Long Beach, where they were able to meet in person with several of the expert professionals who comprise the degree program’s notable Advisory Board.  

Advisory Board members Mark Christoffels and Clay Sandidge co-hosted the event after collaborating together on the Rancho's new water sustainability project and its related educational presentation, “Looking Back to Advance Forward.” The grant-funded initiative was created to capture up to 140,000 cubic feet of storm water—an increase of 40% to 95% annually—through innovative filtering and storage technology, amounting to nearly net-zero usage on site. Visitors, including thousands of elementary school students each year, are able to learn about the importance of water conservation, from the history of how the Rancho originally operated in early 1800s to the modern technology being implemented today. 

As Chair of the Board for the nonprofit Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation and Planning Commissioner for the City of Long Beach, Christoffels brought his years of experience in public works, infrastructure, and land use to the project. It was engineered and constructed with the help of local consulting firm P2S, where Sandidge works as a Senior Project Manager and Energy Market Sector Lead.  

“We wanted to do a networking event where students could meet Advisory Board members and vice versa, and it just so happened that we could create a sustainability project around that,” said Sandidge. “So it really wrapped everything in a nice bow for us.” 

“It’s an ideal project to highlight for MSSCM students,” agreed Christoffels. “Sustainability captures a multitude of topics, including the scarcity of water resources in California. We’re sharing how we implemented it, from getting grant funding through design and construction.” 

With about 10 MSSMP students in attendance, plus an equal number of faculty and Advisory Board members, there were opportunities to enjoy refreshments and learn about the many careers that are directly relevant to the master’s degree program. MSSMP Advisory Board members include professionals with sustainability-related positions in local city government administrations as well as the Port of Long Beach and leading companies like Cisco, SoCal Edison, and Netflix. 

"I chose the MSSMP program at CSULB because of their Advisory Board,” said MSSMP student Serena Palmer. “They're willing to help educate us and bring in their experiences in the sustainability field, while also allowing students to connect one-on-one with them. This program is an amazing opportunity, and I'm so glad that I have the honor of being in the inaugural class." 

“It’s no secret, we’re in a climate emergency,” added Sandidge. “What these MSSCM students are learning today is going to help them implement better projects tomorrow. Mark and I are at the tail end of our careers, so we’re relying on these students to create change.” 

Click here to learn more about the MSSMP program at CSULB.

This article was originally published in the Fall/Winter 2021-22 issue of Turning the Tide, a publication produced by CSULB's Office of Sustainability in collaboration with partners across the university.