Montgomery College has secured a $10,000 gift from the Reznick Group to create a new online course, Introduction to Environmental and Social Sustainability. The College's Workforce Development and Continuing Education will start the course this month, in partnership with the nonprofit organization, Bethesda Green, the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. Reznick Group's gift will be used to develop the curriculum and to provide scholarships to individuals with financial needs and/or small companies and nonprofits.

"Reznick Group's generous gift, and the College's partnership with Montgomery County, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and Bethesda Green, ensures that our collaboration benefits community members interested in pursuing green careers," said George Payne, vice president of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at the College. "This public-private partnership, ultimately, benefits the Montgomery County environment.

The new course is part of the College's Sustainability Management Professional Series and is intended to assist businesses to achieve lasting sustainability practices that save costs, increase employee engagement, and enhance marketing and visibility. The program will include sustainability internships that benefit businesses and grow green jobs.

"Reznick Group is committed to being a community leader in reducing its ecological footprint by maintaining a green headquarters, reducing paper consumption, using green vendors, and working with companies in the renewable energy industry," said James Martinko, Co-Office Managing Principal in Bethesda. "We are proud to support Montgomery College's efforts to train other organizations to become better stewards of our environment."

The new course will feature 12 sessions online, introducing basic concepts and frameworks of sustainability. The goal is to provide students with a solid understanding of how sustainability works, why it is important, and how to use sustainability as a lens for good business strategy. Students will participate in weekly online classes, with reading and writing assignments in between class meetings. Topics covered include creating a sustainability plan, employee engagement, energy and climate change, and sustainability reporting and communication.

The new course is intended for college graduates who are seeking environmental leadership careers and individuals seeking to transition to "green" careers or mastering new competencies. For additional information about the course, please contact Transcie Almonte at 240-567-3828 or by e-mailing Transcie.almonte@montgomerycollege.edu. Please also visit the Green Management and Sustainability Program at: www.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce/bits/sustainability.html.

Reznick Group is a top 20 national public accounting firm providing accounting, tax and business advisory services to clients nationwide. The firm's industry experience includes affordable housing, distribution and manufacturing, hospitality services, restaurant and entertainment services, construction, financial services, renewable energy, healthcare, nonprofits, professional services, commercial real estate and technology. For more information, visit www.reznickgroup.com.

The Montgomery College Foundation and Workforce Development & Continuing Education are very grateful for the generous support of Reznick Group. For additional information, please contact Steve Greenfield, dean of Business, Information Technology, and Safety, at 240-567-2583 or steve.greenfield@montgomerycollege.edu, or Rose Garvin Aquilino, director of corporate and foundation relations, at 240-567-4249 or rose.garvinaquilino@montgomerycollege.edu.