Presidio School of Management

Infobox University
name = Presidio School of Management


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established = 2003
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type = Private
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president = Steven L. Swig
head_label = Chief Executive Officer
head = Seyed M. Amiry
faculty = 25
staff = 18 full-time, 16 part-time
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city = San Francisco
state = California
country = USA
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former_names = Presidio World College
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affiliations = Alliant International University
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Presidio School of Management is a higher-education institution based in San Francisco, California, offering MBA and Executive programs in Sustainable Management that integrate environmental, ethical and socially responsible concerns into every course. Previously known as Presidio World College, Presidio School of Management is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges through its affiliation with [http://www.alliant.edu Alliant International University] .

As one of the world’s first MBA programs to teach sustainability values throughout the business school curriculum, it is a recognized pioneer.¹ The school’s first MBA class had 22 students in 2003 and has since grown to include nearly 300 MBA students and graduates. Presidio has graduated 107 students since 2005 and is ranked as the fourth largest sustainable business education program on the West Coast (Sustainable Industries, April ’08) and the 12th largest MBA program in the Bay Area (San Francisco Business Times, Jan ’08).

School’s Mission & Philosophy

Presidio’s mission is to develop change agents who have sustainable management skills and the courage to implement their ideas in the world. At the heart of its mission and values is the belief that business exists to serve the needs of society; today, society’s greatest need is a sustainable planet. Presidio’s [http://www.presidiomba.org/vision educational philosophy] is based on: Learning from Interactive Experience; Systems Thinking; and Integration & Communication of Knowledge.

Programs Offered

MBA in Sustainable Management: Full-time (2 years) and part-time (4-years) programs consist of classes held in San Francisco on four consecutive days per month. Between classes, students interact with each other and professors through in-person study groups and project teams, conference calls, and an online learning environment that fosters collaboration and knowledge transfer.

Executive Certificate in Sustainable Management: The Executive Certificate is a five-month program for mid- to senior-level managers who meet two days per month in San Francisco and engage online in between sessions. The program is designed to give participants expertise at implementing sustainable practices that result in market leadership and enhanced bottom-line business value.

School Differentiators

School differentiators include:

• Sustainability integrated into every course;

• Curriculum grounded in project-oriented learning that gives students the chance to work with companies as part of coursework;

• Human dimension of business strongly emphasized in curriculum and is based on team learning and leadership, systems thinking, emotional intelligence and culture/values/ethics;

• Venture Plan Capstone course, taken in the final semester, enables students to crystallize ideas for a sustainable and profitable venture by creating a business plan for an existing or new business;

• Emphasis on critical thinking and concept development helps students’ tap deeper motivations – values, passion or “calling” – and identify the work they want to do.

Students, Graduates and Faculty

Presidio graduates are working with companies in a variety of industries, municipalities and NGOs, helping lead their efforts to be more socially and environmentally responsible. Employers include: Accenture, ClimateCHECK, the cities of Berkeley and Mountain View, Environmental Protection Agency, Goodwill Industries, Mattel, NBC, PETA, Sundance Channel and University of Florida. Simran Sethi, a journalist who has hosted and appeared on programs produced by the BBC, Martha Stewart, NBC, NPR, Sundance Channel’s The Green, Oprah and PBS, is a graduate of Presidio School of Management.

Many alumni have started entrepreneurial ventures to offer unique sustainability solutions. Entrepreneurial ventures include: [http://www.ecohomeimprovement.com EcoHome Improvement] , sells green residential products; [http://www.devdesigncompact.com The DevDesign Compact] , international development consultancy; and [http://www.earthoceanfarms.com Earth Ocean Farms] , sustainable aquaculture business.

Presidio faculty includes recognized, award-winning sustainability thought leaders such as Hunter Lovins, Peter Warshall and Andrew Hoffman as well as academics, business practitioners and published authors who have worked for and advised Fortune 500 companies, leading NGOs and governments from around the world.

Presidio School of Management has been featured in news outlets including BusinessWeek.com, Christian Science Monitor, CRO Magazine, E – The Environmental Magazine, Fast Company, Forbes.com, GreenBiz.com, Marin Independent Journal, Mother Jones, Newsweek, Outside Magazine, Reuters, San Francisco Business Times, San Francisco Chronicle newspaper and magazine, San Francisco Examiner, Sierra Magazine and Sustainable Industries.

References

External links

* [http://www.presidiomba.org Presidio School of Management]
* [http://www.triplepundit.com Triple Pundit] – website run by Presidio graduate
* [http://www.GreenBiz.com GreenBiz.com] – features monthly column by Presidio called “The Sustainable MBA”
* [http://www.sustainabledictionary.com Dictionary of Sustainable Management] – an online dictionary of sustainability terms created by Presidio School of Management MBA students and graduates

¹"New York Times", "M.B.A.'s With Three Bottom Lines: People, Planet and Profit" - http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/08/education/edlife/mba.html?_r=1&emc=eta1&oref=login&oref=slogin