History and Vision

Reimagining Higher Education for a More Just, Prosperous and Sustainable World

Presidio Graduate School educates and inspires a new generation of skilled, visionary and enterprising leaders to transform business and public policy and create a more just, prosperous and sustainable world. Through innovative MBA, MPA, Dual Degree and Executive Certificate programs in Sustainable Management, Presidio activates students and professionals across a range of disciplines, industries and sectors to bridge the gap between commerce and the common good.

Driven by our mission, Presidio has become a top-ranked graduate school transforming the way students and graduates think about, and apply solutions to, the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. Through our affiliation with Alliant International University, Presidio is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

In 2003, Presidio pioneered the field of sustainable management education with 22 students, a handful of faculty and an educational philosophy grounded in pragmatic concepts that integrate systems thinking and sustainability throughout all our programs. Today, Presidio has an accomplished team of over 45 faculty and staff, an outstanding board of directors, 250 students, over 500 alumni at the forefront of the sustainability field and a global reputation.

During the next decade, we seek nothing short of becoming the world’s premier training ground, research center and convener for sustainable management, located in the heart of the field, the San Francisco Bay Area, and in a remarkable place, Presidio National Park, which gives shape and meaning to so much of what we believe in – the union of business and policy, of community and ecology.

As the key developer of the next generation of leaders, we believe higher education has the responsibility to provide graduates with the tools and knowledge to create a more just, prosperous and sustainable world. Over time, Presidio will leverage its core asset—our unique educational model—to help guide academic and educational institutions worldwide to adopt our approach. Our vision is that every graduate program will integrate sustainability in content and delivery, and that Presidio, already looked to as a leader in sustainability education, will guide this evolution.