December is known as the Season of Giving, a time when individuals and communities focus on charitable donations, volunteering, and acts of kindness. At College of the Rockies, our students demonstrate that giving isn’t limited to one time of year. In the Bachelor of Business Administration: Sustainable Business Practices (BBA) students contribute to healthier communities and a healthier planet through hands-on research and community-based projects.
Through their Capstone Project, BBA students collaborate with local organizations to tackle real-world challenges, strengthen partnerships, and shape practical solutions that create long-term impact.
Building Greener, More Connected Communities
Our students support local partners as they explore ways to reduce emissions and enhance community wellbeing:
Reimagining NorthStar Rails to Trails for Active Transportation
Students are identifying ways to strengthen walking, cycling, and other active transportation opportunities along NorthStar Rails to Trails to improve accessibility and reduce carbon footprints.
Strengthening Sustainability at Ski Resorts
BBA student research is exploring how BC ski resorts can adapt to the impacts of climate change while sustaining winter recreation tourism.
Enhancing Community Wellness and Longevity
In partnership with Cranbrook Community Connections Society (CCS), students are examining how CCS can best target its resources to support long term health, balance and wellbeing for local residents.
Supporting Inclusive Access and Community Resilience
These projects focus on equity, access, and building stronger regional supports:
Improving Access to Books for Ahousaht First Nation
A student-led research project is exploring functional, culturally informed, and sustainable ways to increase book access for learners in Ahousaht First Nation, supporting literacy and educational opportunity.
Strengthening Social Infrastructure through Governance Models
Through research with the Social Planning Council in Williams Lake, students are analyzing governance strategies that help communities build more resilient, community-driven systems of planning and support.
Leading Climate Solutions through Research & Innovation
Across industries and on campus, students are advancing climate solutions that are both practical and impactful:
Helping Small and Medium-sized Hotels Reduce Emissions
Students are identifying cost-effective, high impact decarbonization strategies that help hotels, lower emissions without sacrificing operational needs.
Addressing E-Waste at College of the Rockies
One project is assessing more sustainable approaches to managing electronic waste on our campuses with the aim of reducing landfill contributions and supporting a circular economy mindset on campus.
Laying the Groundwork for a Student Sustainability Club
Recognizing the value o
f student-led leadership, Associate of Science – Environmental Science students have developed a Sustainability Club to strengthen advocacy, peer engagement, and campus-wide climate action. Through surveys and a variety of initiatives they have empowered students to think about small, meaningful ways to live more sustainability.
Student Maya Lara has been inspired in her classes to give deeper thought to the future of our world and how to combat climate change.
“I have always been concerned about how I can contribute to solving this issue, as I have always had a strong connection to the land,” she said. “Now that I am the student researcher/assistant to the sustainability committee, I have been given a great opportunity to delve deeper into how the College is working to build a community connected by its shared value of creating a more sustainable future. For the rest of my time here, I hope to help the College work toward achieving its sustainability goals through research and collaboration.”
Inspiring Sustainability on Campus
By examining barriers to recycling and composting in student housing, students are helping to shape future initiatives that motivate and support greater participation.
Environmental Sustainability students partnered with Introduction to Geographical Information Systems (GIS) students to create a unique tool for showcasing sustainability initiatives on campus. Environmental Sustainability students created videos highlighting on-campus sustainable initiatives relating to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals. GIS students then uploaded the videos to a digital interactive map, which enables viewers to take part in a guided walking tour of the Cranbrook campus, with stops along the way to hear students talk about their chosen sustainability initiative. See Maya Lara’s video.
A Year-Round Commitment to Giving Back
Throughout their time at the College, students give of their time, curiosity, and creativity in ways that strengthen communities and support sustainable futures. Their work has a ripple effect, informing decisions, guiding partners, and helping our region to adapt to changing environmental realities.
As a signatory of the Sustainable Development Goals Accord and a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, College of the Rockies is deeply committed to sustainability. We are proud of our students’ leadership as we continue to make our campuses eco-friendlier, socially engaged, and economically resilient.
Their contributions remind us that giving back takes many forms, offering our communities and our planet a gift that lasts far beyond the holiday season.