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If you’ve done your research on us, you know that the Capstone Project is an integral part of our programs.
In short, the Capstone Project is where passion turns into progress for sustainable development. This will be your chance to work in an interdisciplinary group to develop an entrepreneurial solution to a real world challenge in sustainable development. The project must address a current issue or topic within the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which focus on eradicating poverty, inequality, and climate change. With our workshops and working sessions you’ll learn how to explore the political, technological, business, and environmental components of your solution. More specifically, you’ll use Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” and the Business Canvas Model as frameworks to address and present your solution.
The capstone project is where passion turns into progress for sustainable development.
We’ve learned through the years that the Capstone Projects are the result of creativity and students coming together to create something larger than their individual parts. We believe in big, bold ideas and we encourage our students to pursue them. On the program you’ll complete working sessions that encourage inspiration and ideation, and at the end of your journey you’ll have developed a plan for implementation. With that said, it is important to arrive to your program with knowledge of the ideas, passions, and topics you care about. It is not mandatory to have the exact idea of what you want to be working on; figuring this out is part of the process that we will work on together.
Meet your Inner Genius
Huffington Post states that ideation is “a reinvention of traditional brainstorming, [and] is a technique that involves both the left and right sides of the brain to allow breakthroughs from entrenched habits of thought and persistent difficult problems.” The Capstone Project is about finding the path past your mental comfort zone, and tapping into your “inner genius.” Students find that the process can be raw, messy, and at times frustrating and confusing but you should trust that this is a natural part of the process.
Speaking of challenges and a sometimes-messy process, we want to take a moment and prepare you with the knowledge that in your program, you may visit locations where the internet is unreliable. We ask that if or when this happens, you trust the process and use that time to tap into each other’s creativity and personal experiences. You will surprise yourself with what you are capable of when you remember the internet is not where innovation comes from; It comes from you and your inner genius! With that said, of course, we want you to use the internet! It will be very helpful in finding research or statistics necessary for your Capstone Project. If you are stuck during any stage of your Capstone Project, don’t worry because you can count on your GREEN guides to navigate you through the entire process.
Throughout your experience with The GREEN Program, your dedicated TGP guide will facilitate engaging workshops designed with clear goals and milestones for your cohort to achieve. These sessions will not only introduce you to new frameworks but also equip you with essential skills and tools that you can access on demand.
You’ll collaborate with a diverse group of peers, working together to apply your newfound knowledge to tackle challenges and develop innovative solutions that advance sustainability. This collaborative environment fosters creativity and encourages you to think outside the box, ensuring that you leave the program not just with knowledge but with practical experience in problem-solving and teamwork.
Get ready to embark on a transformative journey that empowers you to make a meaningful impact in the field of sustainability!
Emilie, our Iceland Alumna from Colorado School of Mines, reflected on her Capstone Project experience, where her group proposed an idea to help the petroleum industry integrate renewable energy into their existing companies.
Emilie says:
I’ve worked in a lot of group settings before, but nothing quite like this, where I am applying my knowledge from school to solve a real-life problem. What’s really neat is that some students even take their Capstone Projects to the next level and bring them to life! I think future GREEN students will benefit from this type of project because it teaches you a lot about yourself. I learned more about myself as a teammate and leader than in any other project. Perhaps that was because this was a new field of study for all of us or because we were all self-motivated and brought different viewpoints and specialties to the table. Most of all, I think all students walk away from the Capstone Project with a better understanding of how to problem-solve and apply what we’ve been learning in school for years. Capstone Projects are challenging, but they prepare you for a career that can impact the world.
Read more about Emilie’s story of her Capstone development process here.
To get some inspiration from what other participants have developed as their capstone projects, you can read more about their work at our Capstone Library, and another TGP blog, “Innovation & The Private Sector’s Influence for a Sustainable Future”.
