Since its inception in 2009, the GEM Program has been at the forefront of energy education. GEM’s curriculum continues to expand and diversify; we strive to advance our an all-energy approach and stay on pace with industry trends. We are proud of the diversification our faculty and student base has achieved as it relates experience, industry expertise, location, and gender demographics – at least 50% of new incoming students are female and come from outside of Colorado!
COVID-19 affected all facets of life, and the GEM Program did not go untouched. The pandemic challenged us, like many institutions, to reimagine our programming and how we needed to evolve. This included transitioning cohort weekends to an entirely online format, providing online live lectures via Zoom. Through the resiliency of faculty, students, and staff, the program stayed focused on its mission: Prepare information, ideas, and leaders to bring energy to the world.
2.0 is a response to this reimagining; it includes a close examination of how we delivered the program both historically and during the pandemic, higher education trends, and feedback from our target audience. It is an opportunity to evolve and meet the changing demands of energy professionals and companies. It means a renewed focus on people, purpose, and energy.
Expanded Enrollment Options
On-Campus Residencies
Networking and building connections with fellow classmates, faculty and the broader GEM Community has been a strong competitive advantage for the program. We do not underestimate how important in-person sessions are and do not want to lose that aspect of the program. Consistently we have received feedback that the duration of a cohort weekend was too long and students wanting more opportunities in community building and networking.
By moving coursework online and shifting from six on-campus meetings to two, the program will focus on ensuring the residency weekends are valuable and impactful for student development. Examples of what the weekends might include are: networking dinners and lunches with GEM stakeholders (faculty, alumni, advisory council members), workshops, presentations and engagement with industry leaders, and more meaningful interactions with Executives in Residences. The goal of these residency weekends is to intentionally develop complementary skills and networks that can positively impact career progression outside of the classroom.
While the framework for these weekends has been started, program administration is still building out the content. This is where we need your help. As alumni, students, stakeholders and faculty, you are uniquely tied to the program and can give us greater insight into how to make these weekends hugely beneficial for everyone.
Focus groups will be held in April with alumni, faculty, and students to gain a better understanding of how these residencies should be designed. Now is your chance to shape the future of GEM.
