Ecotech Institute

1. Contact: Jenny Foust Communications Strategy Group 303.433.7020 (o) or 720.244.4268 (c) jfoust@csg-pr.com EcotechInstitute’sFreeOnlineCourse,“IntroductiontoSustainability”,ChangestheWayStudentsApproachSustainability StudentFeedback DemonstratesAppreciationandValuefortheCourseDenver,Colorado,April23, 2014–Student feedbackfromEcotechInstitute’sfreeonline “IntroductiontoSustainability”courseproved theopportunitywasvalued bystudents across theglobeand changed thewaytheyapproachedsustainabilityinitiatives. KyleCrider,EcotechInstitute’s ProgramChairand Managerof Environmental Operations,ledthefreeonlinecourseforasecondtimeearlierthisyear. Therewasa diversemixofstudents,bothmenandwomenfrom all educational backgroundsand walksof life.Manystudentsapplied whattheylearned inthecoursetotheircommunitiesand havesaid they’llcontinuetoexpand ontheireducationnow thatthecourseiscomplete. Thecoursematerialappliestogeneralgreenenergyjobs,including solarjobs, wind turbinejobs,and overallcareers inrenewableenergy. “Thefirst IntrotoSustainabilitycourselast yearwassuchawild success,wefelt likewehadnochoicebut tobring it back,”Cridersaid.“I’msohappythatwedid. Thefeedback we received proves thatthecoursetrulychangesstudents’lives.Byallowing peopletolearnfreeofcharge, wecanhelp morepeoplelearn whatsustainable living isallabout.” TheIntroductiontoSustainabilitycourseisa“massiveonlineopencourse” (MOOC),offeredthrough theCanvasNetwork.MOOCsarea popularwayforeducational institutionstoofferfreecourses tothepublic.Based inAurora,Colorado,EcotechInstituteistheonlycollege entirelyfocusedonsustainability-relatedjobtraining. TheMOOCcourseexploresvarious definitionsofsustainabilityused bygovernments,businesses,andindividualstoaddressenvironmental,societal,and economic problems around the world.Inaddition, students learnwaystoapplysustainableconceptstotheir ownlives.As part of thecourse,studentshavetocompleteacapstoneprojectthatinvolveswriting theirownsustainability-focusedmission statement,vision,and goals.

2. Someof thefeedback includes: • “Thankyou,Kyle!It’sbeenarewarding experience.SomuchsothatIdecidedto applyforaformal courseofstudy,MScinEnvironmental Tech.Ihaveaninterview withtheschoolinacoupleofweeks!” • “Thankyouforsuchawonderful class.Byallowing peopletolearnfreeofcharge,youhavetaught somanymore.Just findingout about theAralSeainthefirst lessonhasbeenthebuzz ofmyvillageforweeks.Just thankyoufor implanting thisknowledge.Isoappreciateit.” • “Iwasn’t awareofhowfarsolarenergyhascome.I’vebeenafanofitbutdidn’trealizethecost haddroppedsomuchthatitwasactuallyviable.” • “Ineverthought thatonedayIwould bedoing acoursewithpeoplefromdifferentcontinentsand countries.Technologyreallyimproved our standard ofliving,sothereisnoneed togooverseasto studywhenyoucanstudyathome.” • Duetotheoverwhelming positivefeedback,EcotechInstituteplanstoofferfutureMOOCcourses.TheschoolwillprovideupdatesonfuturecoursesthroughitsFacebook page, whichuserscan“like” toaccessathttps://www.facebook.com/EcotechInstitute.Formoreinformationon EcotechInstitutevisitwww.ecotechinstitute.com. • AboutEcotech Institute • EcotechInstituteisthefirstandonlycollegeentirelyfocusedon preparing America’sworkforceforcareersinrenewableenergyandsustainabilityand isaccredited bytheAccreditingCouncilforIndependentCollegesandSchools.Launched inApril 2010inDenver,Colorado,it offerseight highlypractical greenenergydegreeprogramsthatprovidegraduateswithskillsvalued bytoday’salternativerenewableenergyemployers. Classesstart onceperquarterand applicationsare alwaysaccepted.Financial assistanceisavailabletothose whoqualify.EcotechInstituteisa divisionofEducation CorporationofAmerica. Formoreinformationabout EcotechInstitute,visitecotechinstitute.comorcall877-326-5576. • ###