COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Sept. 18, 2025) – The Center for Social Value Creation brought together student teams and sustainability experts earlier this month for a Carbon Offset Market Simulation, held in partnership with the Office of Sustainability.
In the simulation, student teams primarily from the Strategic Management with a Sustainable Mindset graduate class role-played as companies with carbon footprints they needed to offset in full or in part within a set budget. Students explored project descriptions, co-benefits, external ratings and prices, and conducted self-guided research to build portfolios that met offset needs while considering business priorities.
Participants heard from Office of Sustainability professionals who created the simulation, including Dyani Frye, ’19, sustainability associate; Sally DeLeon, sustainability manager; and Ha Pham, sustainability coordinator.
Presentations were evaluated by a panel of sustainability professionals: Anne Zappas, ’21, senior consultant for ESG and sustainability at Protiviti; Justin Chicoine, MBA ’18, corporate sustainability and ESG integration expert; and Toni Stiefel, impact advisor at the Fehlig Group.
The program offered environmentally focused experiential learning opportunities through real-world examples. Students gained hands-on experience in how sustainability decisions affect both the planet and local communities. As a cross-campus initiative, it blends classroom learning with practical application, showing students the impact of sustainable practices and helping them develop the skills needed to address pressing environmental challenges.
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The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.