My NC State Story: Tracy Dixon (MPA ’04, MNR ’04)

As NC State’s first sustainability director, I hold double Masters degrees in Public Administration and Natural Resources from NC State. Public administration allows me to understand how governments and organizations work. Applying natural resources expertise provides the foundation for sustainability being a balance of ethical solutions that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially just.

The dual degree exploration allowed me to weave sustainability into the fabric of NC State, a large governmental agency. The combination of the two fields has provided a great canvas for connecting systems, people, and ideas. A strength of both programs was methodologies for consensus building and creating a collaborative shared vision, both fundamental to any change effort.

Tracy Dixon is the director of NC State University’s Sustainability Office.