College of the Environment

Our Mission 

Western's College of the Environment addresses today's environmental issues and prepares tomorrow's interdisciplinary problem solvers. We accomplish this mission by integrating outstanding educational programs, faculty-student collaboration, applied research, and professional and community service.

Student Success

College of the Environment offers numerous scholarship support opportunities for donors. These scholarships support students in the research, field work, and internships that are a large part of the experience. Alumni work as researchers and lab technicians, community activists and volunteers, urban planners, environmental advocates, elected officials, writers, artists, and business leaders. These scholarships launch our students into bright futures. 

A partial list of funds at the WWU Foundation that provide support to College of the Environment:

  • Bradley F. Smith Internship Program
  • Environmental Education Program
  • Environmental Sciences Department
  • Environmental Studies Department
  • Geography Program
  • College of the Environment Annual Scholarship Fund
  • College of the Environment AWMA Team
  • College of the Environment Dean's Fund for Sustainability
  • College of the Environment General Fund
  • College of the Environment History Project
  • College of the Environment L.E.A.D. program
  • College of the Environment of the Environment Scholarship Endowment
  • College of the Environment Resilience Institute
  • College of the Environment Speaker Series
  • College of the Environment Student Research
  • College of the Environment Internship Program
  • Institute for Environmental Toxicology
  • Institute for Watershed Studies
  • Rainforest Immersion & Conservation Action (RICA) Program
  • Rocky Spencer Memorial Endowment 
  • The Planet Magazine
  • The Spatial Institute (GIS, Map Collections etc.)
  • Tommy Gaines Research Stipend

Faculty Support

Students rely upon the dedication and excellence of our distinguished faculty. One example of the tremendous affection and support College of the Environment receives from our community is the Debnath Mookherjee Excellence in Teaching Award. Established by the former students and colleagues of Professor Mookherjee upon his retirement in 2014, this award is given to a faculty member who exemplifies the dedication that Professor Mookherjee demonstrated throughout his fifty years of teaching at Western. 

Community Outreach

College of the Environment students maintain both academic rigor and active leadership in their communities. An example of this outreach is the Sustainable Business Certificate. College of the Environment offers a series of workshops on sustainability as a business practices to businesses, students, and professionals. The certificate program contains 24 courses on topics as diverse as triple bottom line accounting, stakeholder engagement, and managing a green team.