Baton Rouge, La., Jan. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- APTIM, an industry leader in environmental and resiliency services, has formed a philanthropic partnership with the LSU College of the Coast & Environment (CC&E) to support local middle and high school students. The APTIM Environmental & Sustainability Fund will provide students in Baton Rouge the opportunity to learn hands-on about the environment, its connection to communities, and the importance of sustainability. The donation follows the grand opening of APTIM’s new headquarters on The Water Campus, a strategic move to enhance collaboration with neighbors dedicated to coastal resilience, such as CC&E.
“At APTIM, our mission is to build a sustainable future for our communities and the natural world, starting right here in our hometown of Baton Rouge,” said APTIM Chairman and CEO Mark Fallon. “The students that will be impacted by our donation and CC&E’s outreach will play a crucial role in that future by creating and protecting those environments alongside us through this programming, their education, and their careers. We are proud to support them along their journey, and we look forward to witnessing the amazing work they will do.”
APTIM’s support will fund activities that enhance classroom learning, including program transportation, resources for research projects, and field trips for three East Baton Rouge Parish School System schools: Eva Legard Center, Mayfair Laboratory School, and Scotlandville Magnet High School. Through CC&E, these students develop a passion for the physical sciences and learn to appreciate the environment. EnvironMentors, a near-peer mentoring program with students from Scotlandville Magnet High School, is one example of how CC&E is achieving its long-term objective of diversifying the coastal and environmental workforce.
“The interdependent link between our ecosystems and humans directly impacts the prosperity of our people, their lives, livelihoods, and quality of life. Understanding the intricate relationships between the natural and built environments is important to developing sustainable solutions to preserve our environment for generations to come,” said Dean and Professor of CC&E Chris D’Elia. “Experiential opportunities, such as those that may be provided through the generous support of APTIM, help students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world situations, piquing interests and laying the foundation for more in-depth learning.”
"EnvironMentors helped me form a love for science and connected me to the world around me, teaching me about natural and built environments. They even raised awareness of issues impacting the environment upon which we all depend, as well as actions we can take to improve and sustain it. [The program] inspired me to major in forensic science next year,” shared Malaysia Young, a high school senior and second-year EnvironMentors participant.
As a proud Louisiana company, APTIM has executed several projects that enhance the resilience of the state’s natural and built infrastructure, the economic prosperity of its communities, and the safety of its neighbors, including the Hurricane Ida Sheltering Program, Bayou Chene Flood Protection Structure, and the Houma Navigation Canal Lock Complex. APTIM and CC&E’s joint efforts to build and maintain a sustainable future advance LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda, which prioritizes areas that are crucial to creating a more healthy, prosperous, and secure future.
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About APTIM
APTIM is an industry leader with headquarters in Baton Rouge, La., and more than 4,000 teammates worldwide. APTIM specializes in environmental services, resiliency, sustainability, and energy solutions, as well as technical and data solutions, program management, and critical infrastructure. Our dedicated people have experience and expertise to provide integrated services and solutions to government agencies, commercial and industrial clients, and energy customers. APTIM commits to accelerating the transition toward a clean and efficient energy economy, building a sustainable future for our communities and natural world, and creating a more inclusive and equitable environment that celebrates diversity of our people.
About LSU College of the Coast & Environment
LSU’s College of the Coast & Environment has been at the forefront of coastal and environmental issues for nearly a century. Conducting research on all continents, our work helps to improve the environmental conditions that impact communities in the Mississippi River Delta and in coasts and deltas around the world. Balancing environmental conservation with economic development, our multidisciplinary degrees are ideally suited for a broad range of careers, including doctors, veterinarians, public health officials, environmental specialists, writers, lawyers, disaster responders, coastal ecologists, and more!
