What world leaders and citizens do to change the way we use resources early in this century will influence how we live for generations in the future. If you’re concerned about environmental crisis and climate change, you will want to learn about sustainability—the concept and practice that may let us continue to enjoy life on this planet.

Sustainable development means “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland Commission). That means cutting only enough trees per year that can be regrown. That means minimize the burning of fossil fuel, which causes global warming. That means designing energy-efficient buildings, using recycled materials when possible. And it means rethinking our social institutions and the way we conduct our business to be more equitable to all both across the globe and in future generations

Because universities are at the forefront of research and development, many U.S. campus leaders have decided that all future construction will be “sustainable” and that they will transform the daily operation of the campus to conserve resources.

Moreover, they are introducing courses, majors and conferences on sustainability.

You, the international student, can learn firsthand about this crucial concept the minute you decide to study in the U.S.A. You can practice recycling, eat locally grown food and wash your car and clothes with non-toxic, biodegradable products.

Pacific Lutheran University’s Morken Center for Learning and Technology was built to high environmental standards. Concrete is used in 65 percent of the building to reduce the chemical cleaning products and wax needed to maintain the floors. Low-energy window glass reduces energy used for cooling in warm months. A geothermal system for heating and cooling means the Morken Center does not use fossil fuels.

As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship, Bemidji State University in Minnesota purchases five percent of its electricity from wind power and supports recycling, “green” cleaning and maintenance, and waste reduction programs. The Chemistry Department uses laboratory techniques that reduce hazardous waste and conserve purchases of new chemicals. The university maintains over 600 feet of Lake Bemidji shoreline with native plants and rocks as part of a restoration and stabilization project. At least one environmental course is required for a Liberal Arts degree at BSU.

The American English and Culture Program at Arizona State University offers English for Sustainability and the Environment, possibly the only U.S. language course focused solely on this topic.  Students improve English language skills by discussing contemporary environmental issues and concerns.  They take field trips to "green" buildings on campus and nearby, listen to expert speakers, and work on research projects dealing with such topics as water resources, Native American environmental practices, recycled building materials, and life in a desert community (the desert climate, adaptations by plants and animals, and implications for people.)  Classes have visited the Grand Canyon and rare or threatened environments like the Desert Botanical Gardens, to explore how these treasures can be enjoyed and preserved for future generations

In the U.S.A., education oftentimes extends beyond books and teachers to include experiences outside the classroom.

Service-learning is a hands-on volunteer learning experience which may incorporate academic study and is almost always rewarding and educational. Students apply their knowledge to improve the lives of others in their community, elsewhere in the U.S.A. or in the rest of the world. Students may receive academic credit for their service, depending on the program.

Service-learning is similar to an internship. A service-learning experience offers an added benefit of giving back to a community and helping others. Students lead others in using skills they learned in the classroom, making the experience even more educational than a typical internship where you might only be observing others.

For international students, service-learning programs uncover other subcultures of America that you do not always easily encounter within a university setting or in the corporate world. You might interact with people living in poverty or talk with members of communities struggling for their civil rights. Service-learning will transform the abstract concepts you have learned in class into reality. You will acquire values and skills that will help you when you return to your country and confront such challenges as poverty, pollution, climate change and habitat destruction.

“People are very much the same wherever you go, no matter what circumstances they had to overcome or what environment they live in. Service-learning makes you realize that you have the power to make a difference,” said Tiro Daenuwy, a Marquette University student from Indonesia who hopes to bring his skills home and use them to improve living conditions.

The United States is an ideal place to practice service learning because of the country’s history of service and volunteerism, the growing number of universities integrating service into the curriculum, and our diverse demographics . The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse estimates that almost two million students participate in service-learning at four-year universities. Almost half of all community colleges offer service-learning courses.

At Marquette University in Wisconsin, service-learning programs are coordinated through the Center for Community Service, and overseas programs are organized by University Ministry and the Office of International Education. Each year Marquette students perform over 100,000 hours of service to the Milwaukee community, while Marquette engineering, nursing, and dentistry students routinely participate in international service learning programs as part of their studies. Anna Villanueva, a Nursing and Psychology student who helps prepare and serve meals for the homeless in Milwaukee, said her experience has increased her knowledge of both academic fields as well as her problem solving skills.

Each semester, a group of teachers and administrators at the University of Florida’s English Language Institute nominate an academically outstanding student who has demonstrated leadership in community building or promoting international understanding and peace. The student, who usually has also volunteered in the local Gainesville community, receives a full tuition scholarship for one semester. Since the scholarship was established, 15 students from 12 countries have won.

University of Honolulu students help provide a "pipeline" for disadvantaged youth in the community, helping the young people continue their education all the way from preschool to university. In the Palolo neighborhood, where almost all live below poverty level, faculty, staff, students and even the University President provide tutoring for over 100 young people every day. Chaminade students also tutor their young neighbors in the summer and during Spring Break. They have improved the children's math & reading achievement through fun science/environmental projects.

At holiday time the university brings Palolo families to campus for Christmas celebrations and to introduce them to college life.

Chaminade also sponsors an afterschool program teaching tech skills to the Palolo young people. In one program, Economics majors teach budgeting and finance using the board game Monopoly.

School athletics are the “hook” that attracts some children. The Chaminade soccer team visits Palolo primary school to give the children academic tutoring - and then they all play soccer.

Many international students take part in service-learning. Sometimes international students are matched with needy young or elderly people from their own countries of origin.

Service-learning is not required at Chaminade but is strongly encouraged. It helps bring cultural awareness and understanding of diversity to students' university experience. It gives them a sense of what life is like in local communities, outside of the sheltered arena of the campus.

The first step toward your career could be cooperative education. If you participate in a “co-op” program, you enter the work force one step ahead of a classmates. You graduate with a university degree as well as professional work experience in your field of study.

As part of a long tradition in this country, over 900 U.S. colleges and universities offer co-op education programs. Contrary to the name, cooperative education does not refer to a collective farm or factory. It means cooperation, between a university with its academic programs, and professional employers providing off-campus work experience.

Your school will assist you in finding work with a corporation or agency. Your employer will monitor and evaluate your performance, pay you and supervise you.

At some universities, each student must complete a co-op education program in order to graduate. These programs are as diverse as the universities themselves.

For example, everyone who earns a Bachelor’s Degree at Wentworth Institute of Technology participates in at least two semesters of co-op. We schedule co-op after the first two years of our bachelor’s program, after a student has acquired enough knowledge and experience to deal with meaningful professional work. Co-op is built into the curriculum of each of Wentworth’s majors. Since Wentworth is an institute of technology, typical employers are architectural and design firms, waste treatment plants, and computer software companies. Wentworth students have completed co-ops at The Smithsonian Institution, Hong Kong Airport Authority, The Gillette Company and Fidelity Investments.

Students are not limited to work near the university. International students who plan careers in their home countries often complete their co-op semesters overseas.

Whether you're interested in fine art, fashion, computer arts, graphic design or motion pictures and video, an education in North America can offer you excellent exposure to cutting-edge techniques and professional training.

The U.S.A. is at the forefront of the digital arts revolution, with the expanding entertainment industry creating the need for new technology, creative concepts and fresh talent. The global success of special effects films, which rely heavily on artists from many disciplines, has bolstered the position of the U.S.A., and California in particular, as a leader in digital arts.

Since the arts are an international language, your talents and abilities will translate well when you enter the U.S. program.

You can find arts programs to suit your interests in many regions of the U.S.A. and in Canada. You can aspire to a two-year, four-year or graduate degree, an Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's or doctorate.

Or choose an institute dedicated to your specific interest. For example, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in California has prepared students for careers in the gem and fine jewelry industry. GIA offers diploma programs and courses in diamond grading, jewelry design, and jewelry business management.

Because music cuts across language barriers, music therapy is becoming widespread to treat disorders such as autism and to communicate with elderly and ill people. Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University in Virginia offers specialized programs like music therapy, arts management, commercial music, voice, dance and music theater

Admission to arts programs varies widely; some schools require portfolios with examples of artwork, or performance auditions, while others do not. Check also whether TOEFL scores are necessary. No matter what the admission requirements are, take the time to select the program that is right for you. Try to talk with students and alumni, and if possible, visit the campus to get a better sense of the environment.

As schools in North America embrace new technology and ideas, it has become a uniquely creative place to study. With training, you can develop your talent and achieve your professional objectives.

Out of class, your uses of technology will not diminish. You will spend countless hours using a computer in order to finish your assignments. Course support for students in the form of notes, reviews, blogs, chats, online journal articles, discussion boards and frequently asked questions appear online and are heavily used by students.

Programming: Writing business application programs to instruct a computer to perform a variety of tasks. It involves analysis of the expected output, information flow, and writing and testing of the code.

Software Testing: stA critical quality control function that tests software applications for “bugs” (mistakes). 

Technical Support: Installing and configuring software and hardware, as well as answering technical questions from a variety of users or developers.

Webmaster: Developing both Internet and intra-net applications for companies specializing in internal and commercial Web sites. It involves using appropriate Web programming languages, multimedia, and Unix.

Networking: Developing and maintaining wide area networks, including hardware manufactured by CISCO, and administering network software.

Computer Science: Incorporates advanced work with software, programming languages, graphics, operating systems, and user interfaces.

Science: Incorporates advanced work with software, programming languages, graphics, operating systems, and user interfaces.

Engineering: Combines the best of engineering and technology in areas such as robotics, simulation, and real-time systems.