Last Friday, April 25th, graduate students from the 四虎影视鈥檚 Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) presented an evaluation project for Tampa International Airport鈥檚 (TPA) progress toward its 10-year Sustainability Management Plan (SMP). The presentation, a culminating project for the 鈥淓SG for Business Sustainability鈥� course led by Dr. Pradeep Haldar, occurred at the airport鈥檚 headquarters for the TPA鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 environmental technologies.
鈥淚 was blown away by the airport鈥檚 2 MW solar array, which has generated over 8,200 MWh since 2016. Seeing the power of solar firsthand was eye-opening,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd their reclaimed water program has saved 289 million gallons since 2009, proving what鈥檚 possible when conservation becomes a priority.鈥�
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鈥檚 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鈥擜mie Acevedo, Molly Hunter, and Jordan Singletary鈥攁ll 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 四虎影视.
Eric Caplan was optimistic about the project's practical impact:
鈥淪ome of the recommendations were really strong. Our team may implement several of
them. This can potentially influence real change at the airport,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he students
demonstrated a strong understanding of our data challenges and proposed a viable path
forward.鈥�
Caplan also commended the students鈥� professionalism and adaptability.
鈥淲e held a trial presentation earlier in the week, and they made excellent adjustments.
Their live delivery was seamless and consultant-level.鈥�
The partnership between PCGS and TPA is now in its third year. Under Dr. Haldar鈥檚 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鈥� exposure to corporate sustainability strategies.
Dr. Haldar emphasized the multidimensional value of the TPA project:
鈥淭he goal wasn鈥檛 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,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his year was especially challenging
due to the group size, but their collaboration and final execution were exceptional.鈥�
Student Chelsea Mandrigues summed up the project鈥檚 transformational impact:
鈥淏eing part of this experience allowed me to witness incredible growth鈥攏ot 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.鈥�
As 四虎影视 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.