Geography and Environmental Studies
Interim Department Chair, Geography and Environmental Studies, CSUSB
Jennifer Alford, director of the Institute for Watershed Resiliency and interim chair of the department of geography and environmental studies at CSUSB, is preparing students for the workforce through hands-on learning experiences.
CSUSB's Institute for Watershed Resiliency: Forging connections, creating career pathways and fostering community engagementJennifer Alford, director of the Institute for Watershed Resiliency (IWR) and interim chair of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, is passionate about water-related issues in the Inland Empire.
Since joining the CSUSB faculty in 2017, Alford's leadership role and engagement with numerous community boards and committees exposed her to the vast potential for water-related projects with diverse agencies. She strives to forge connections with community partners and introduce students to meaningful, real-world experiences that bridge the gap between classroom learning and career pathways.
“One thing that's unique about our campus is that a lot of students are from this area, and they plan to stay in this area. So, there's an opportunity for us to make all those connections a lot sooner and try to help identify and resolve issues while also giving students really great, meaningful experiences," Alford said.