Getting a Community Sustainability degree is just the start
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EmailThe connections and support from CSUS faculty and staff during their time getting the degree are ongoing well beyond graduation for many CSUS alums.
In February 2025, Bob Wilson, Community Sustainability (CSUS) instructor, sat down for a student meeting in the Natural Resources Building. Perhaps not unusual at first glance, but this student was one who had taken his class almost 25 years ago. Chuck Stickney, class of ’03 Environmental Studies and Applications major in the Department of Resource Development, came to talk with Wilson with his son, Charles Stickney, about Charles’s burgeoning interest in policy making.
Charles Stickney, in high school, and thinking about future careers shared his hope to pursue opportunities in economic policy and foreign relations. “I’m interested in the process of policy making and hopefully I can work to make it more honest and transparent” Charles said when asked about the driving motivator for these career goals. His father, Chuck remembered Wilson as an impactful professor from his time at MSU and someone who could provide insights.
Wilson has been teaching environmental policy classes at MSU since 1998 and brings a first-hand perspective to his courses. Over the course of his career, Wilson served as Senior Counsel to the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental affairs committee where he helped to author much of Michigan’s current environmental law, including the Great Lakes Compact, the Michigan Trailways Act and the Recreation Passport. Wilson remarked, “In my classes I talk about how things work in front and behind the scenes, I lived that life for 28 years.”
Chuck, now an Environmental Health and Safety director for a construction company, highlighted Wilson’s influence on his trajectory. “Up until taking Bob’s class I was a Fisheries and Wildlife major, and once I took his class, I switch to the Resource Development major because I realized I wanted to do more with environment economics and conservation rather than just being a wildlife biologist. For my current work in environmental safety, it’s a lot of policy and dealing with the regulators like OSHA. So, I didn’t go into government work, but there’s a lot of policy in my own work.”
As Charles, Chuck, and Wilson wrapped up their conversation about careers in policy making and strategies for how to pursue this career pathway, Chuck emphasized the value of the professional network former faculty can play, even well beyond graduation. In parting advice for current students and even alum he noted, “Reach out to the faculty from your program. They’re a great resource and willing to help, even now.”
This life-long connection and meaningful impact is not unique to just Wilson, but a core tenant of how the faculty and staff of Community Sustainability (CSUS) show up for students- past and present.
Dr. Crystal Eustice, Professor of Practice and Academic Advisor to the Sustainable, Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (SPRT) major in CSUS shares how her role as an advisor does not end at the graduation ceremony. Eustice notes she often continues to mentor students after graduation and guiding them through job and graduate school application processes, helping alum take next steps to achieving their goals with confidence. Eustice says of her ongoing work with SPRT alum, “Providing continuing career guidance to graduates is deeply rewarding to me because I get to witness the moment when classroom learning turns into a real-world purpose for them. Supporting students as they find their confidence, refine their goals, and step into careers that truly fit who they are becoming is a fulfilling experience as an advisor and educator.”
Similarly, Jeane Stebleton is known widely as a passionate supporter of her students as the Environmental Studies and Sustainability (ESS) major advisor. Stebleton received the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Outstanding Academic Advisor Award in 2023 and in 2025, a testament to her dedication to student achievement and success. Like Eustice, Stebleton’s commitment to her students persists long after students receive their degree. Recently, Stebleton attended a local presentation by ESS alumna, Dani Vincent, to show support for Vincent’s new career and professional work. Stebleton says of the value of her dedication, “I believe that showing up for students and supporting them in their spaces, while they are undergrads and then when they come back to visit as alumni, strengthens our chances of collaborating and continuing relations with the next generation of sustainability experts.”
Many alums may remember their department by a different name — Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies (CARRS); Parks, Recreation, and Tourism; Agriculture and Natural Resources Education and Communication Systems (ANRECS); Department of Resource Development; and many others. You can see a full timeline on the bottom of the CSUS alumni page, covering the changes and mergers that has made CSUS what it is today. Dr. Rebecca Jordan, CSUS Professor and Department Chair summarized the ongoing connections she sees across the unit, saying “I want our students and alumni to recognize that their time with CSUS does not end with graduation. As a lifelong Spartan, you remain an integral part of our CSUS family and legacy.”
