Dr. Amy McFarland

The Climate Studio is a student-led consulting agency rooted in systems thinking, design thinking, and sustainability. At The Climate Studio, we collaborate with real-world community partners to develop meaningful, actionable responses to environmental challenges. But we don’t rush to solutions. Instead, we step back — to understand the context, stakeholders, and systems at play — so we can move forward with clarity and purpose.

Designing with Purpose. Acting with Care.

This year, the student consultants were presented with this hypothetical scenario: Imagine that the SAP has been awarded a $5 million one-time gift to support mission-driven sustainability initiatives at Grand Valley State University. The Climate Studio has been hired to help the SAP determine the best way to use these funds in support of their mission. Consulting teams' proposals must recommend spending the full amount within a three-year period. 

The projects linked below include three distinct prototype recommendations. We invite you to provide feedback that the Consulting Teams will use to finalize their recommendations.