In January, DEL hosted the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), a program sponsored by the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. The program included a session with Glenda Lee, the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at the Nicholas School of the Environment, and the Founder of Rising TIDE. Lee delivered a refreshingly honest presentation entitled “Diversity and Sustainability: Why it Matters.” Her engaging talk explained how environmental leaders are beginning to realize the value of diversity and the importance of social sustainability.

Glenda Lee, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at the Nicholas School of the Environment

Glenda Lee, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations at the Nicholas School of the Environment

As the former Associate Director for the Nicholas School’s Career and Professional Development Center, Lee has seen first-hand the demand for diversity from leading employers in the environmental field. And at first she wondered what exactly was motivating these organizations to advocate so strongly for diverse students.

The answer is a clear look at the future of our nation’s population.

Current statistics show that about 36% of people in the United States identify as a race other than white. But most of those people are young; and in less than thirty years, that number will grow to more than 50%. That means that in the next generation, less than half of the country will identify as white. Any organization that wishes to remain viable through these next thirty years must recognize the need for inclusion among their staff and leadership. Perhaps environmental organizations are particularly aware of this fact because they’re already in the habit of thinking about sustainability. Then again, there are still many institutions that have yet to acknowledge the deficit created by their own lack of diversity.

These facts led Lee to initiate the first-ever inclusion and diversity training program at the Nicholas School: The inaugural class of Rising TIDE consisted of 23 graduate students who completed the program in 2013. The name refers to the often-quoted notion, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” The professional development provided by Rising TIDE is a unique opportunity among environmental programs, and for the first time this spring, a for-credit course is also being offered on “Diversity & Inclusion In Environmental Fields.” Instructor Elizabeth Shapiro-Garza was a member of the advisory board who developed Rising TIDE, and the course is based on the Rising TIDE curriculum.

According to the theory of evolution, diversity is an essential ingredient for survival in a changing world. The same principle holds true for development, be it social, economic, or environmental. Future progress of the environmental field depends on a diverse pool of knowledge and experiences. Programs like ELI and Rising TIDE are helping our future leaders to recognize the crucial role of diversity in sustainability…and to act on it.

written by Laura Marie Davis, MEM ‘17