Last Friday, April 25th, graduate students from the University of South Florida’s Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) presented an evaluation project for Tampa International Airport’s (TPA) progress toward its 10-year Sustainability Management Plan (SMP). The presentation, a culminating project for the “ESG for Business Sustainability” course led by Dr. Pradeep Haldar, occurred at the airport’s headquarters for the TPA’s Sustainability and Resilience Program Director and consultants from leading environmental firms.
This initiative offered students more than a typical classroom experience, it provided a real-world consultancy challenge. Their work evaluated TPA’s ambitious SMP, launched in 2024 and includes 17 goals and 55 targeted strategies across eight focus areas: energy, water and waste, procurement, engagement, green buildings, resilience, clean fuels, and mobility.
The collaboration began in February with an exclusive site visit led by Eric Caplan, TPA’s Sustainability and Resilience Program Director. During a private behind-the-scenes tour, students observed sustainability initiatives in action, from advanced solar infrastructure to reclaimed water systems and waste diversion efforts. Phyu Mon, a Master of Arts student in Sustainability, was particularly inspired by TPA’s environmental technologies.
“I was blown away by the airport’s 2 MW solar array, which has generated over 8,200 MWh since 2016. Seeing the power of solar firsthand was eye-opening,” she said. “And their reclaimed water program has saved 289 million gallons since 2009, proving what’s possible when conservation becomes a priority.”
Their plan to divert 90% of waste from landfills through recycling and composting made me feel empowered to champion these efforts as part of the project.
Phyu Mon
Over several weeks, the students worked in teams to create a strategic framework to assess and enhance TPA’s sustainability outcomes. Their proposed model began with Top-Down Commitment, stressing the need for engaged leadership. It then introduced recommendations for Data Collection & Reporting through standardized KPIs and centralized dashboards, Audit & Verification via independent third parties, and Certification & Policy Alignment using recognized rating systems.
The students also emphasized Digital Transformation, calling for the integration of IoT sensors and smart software systems to better monitor environmental performance. Finally, Continuous Improvement highlighted the importance of using real-time data to refine policies and drive innovation.
The final presentation was done in front of industry professionals in attendance, including representatives from RS&H—Amie Acevedo, Molly Hunter, and Jordan Singletary—all PCGS alumni who once stood in the same room as students. Molly was offered her position at RS&H after delivering a similarly impressive presentation during her time at USF.
Eric Caplan was optimistic about the project's practical impact:
“Some of the recommendations were really strong. Our team may implement several of
them. This can potentially influence real change at the airport,” he said. “The students
demonstrated a strong understanding of our data challenges and proposed a viable path
forward.”
Caplan also commended the students’ professionalism and adaptability.
“We held a trial presentation earlier in the week, and they made excellent adjustments.
Their live delivery was seamless and consultant-level.”
The partnership between PCGS and TPA is now in its third year. Under Dr. Haldar’s leadership, the "consultants-in-training" program has flourished, giving students the opportunity to work on real sustainability challenges with companies like TPA, Goodwill, and TD SYNNEX. This semester also included field visits to Publix, TECO, and Mosaic, enriching the students’ exposure to corporate sustainability strategies.
Dr. Haldar emphasized the multidimensional value of the TPA project:
“The goal wasn’t just to deepen their content knowledge. It was about presenting complex
material to professionals, managing team dynamics, and navigating ambiguity, essential
skills in sustainability consulting,” he said. “This year was especially challenging
due to the group size, but their collaboration and final execution were exceptional.”
Student Chelsea Mandrigues summed up the project’s transformational impact:
“Being part of this experience allowed me to witness incredible growth—not just in
myself, but in every team member. We entered the project from different backgrounds
and emerged as specialists in areas like IoT, benchmarking, and regulation. It was
powerful to see academic theory come to life in a real-world context.”
As USF Patel College of Global Sustainability continues to position itself as a leader in applied sustainability education, it provides hands-on experience. The success of the Tampa International Airport project reinforces the value of bridging academia and industry. The runway to a greener future may have just begun for the students.