Energy Company Recognizes ISAT's Value

College of Integrated Science and Engineering
 

By: Daniel Vieth
Posted: November 7, 2014

After 20 years of promoting innovative and agile thinking, it is no surprise that so many JMU alumni credit their success to what they learned during their time in the Department of Integrated Science and Technology. In particular, the ISAT major is known for providing students with a broad base of knowledge in technology and for teaching students to approach problems holistically. One company that has embraced the skill set taught in the ISAT major is energy efficiency consulting firm Sustainable Building Partners (SBP), who has developed a firm trust of its ISAT graduates. SBP currently employs 10 alumni across their energy modeling, commissioning, and LEED certification teams. “ISAT teaches you to look at the big picture, work with others, and have patience for uncertainty. ISAT also encourages a number of intangible skills, such as hard work, thinking outside of the box, and a natural curiosity to discover why things work the way they do." - Erica Mulford

SBP specializes in advancing the science of high-performance building, which they achieve through working with architects, engineers, developers, builders and government agencies. “We work with the client to best meet their needs, while also making suggestions for energy improvements,” explained Jake Rasmussen (‘12). “We provide comprehensive building design and operation consulting, with a focus on a reduction of environmental impact, economic cost, and energy usage.” This includes creating computer-based building models that evaluate energy performance and help businesses achieve LEED Certification through green building criteria. “LEED creates buildings that are environmentally responsible [and] directly benefit building operators as a result of the energy savings,” said Jacob Torok (‘09).

According to alumni Erica Mulford (‘13), ISAT graduates have developed a great reputation within SBP, making up almost half of the staff at the company. “The ISAT network is very powerful,” Mulford continued. “You feel immediate kinship when you meet previous ISAT majors and that bond helps develop initial relationships.” In fact, many of the ISAT alumni employed at SBP were recommended by fellow ISAT graduates working there. “SBP likes to hire people within the network of their current employees,” explained Rasmussen. “In the specific case of ISAT, the management has so many students from the program that have succeeded that they are almost always willing to bring in fellow alumni to interview when a position becomes available.”  ISAT also develops a strong sense of community that encourages long-lasting friendships to form. “I have gained a great many friends through ISAT that I am still close to,” added Rasmussen. “This sense of community embodies the ISAT program.”

Though many of the students were never specifically trained to work with energy modeling while in the ISAT program, the major taught them adaptability, willingness to collaborate, and the ability to look at problems and solutions on a holistic level. “ISAT teaches you to look at the big picture, work with others, and have patience for uncertainty,” said Mulford. ISAT also encourages a number of intangible skills, such as hard work, thinking outside of the box, and a natural curiosity to discover why things work the way they do. “ISAT has helped me look at the interactive effects of different entities rather than each individually,” added Torok.

As Rasmussen put it, ISAT “gives students the tools to go for what appeals to them most.” ISAT’s mission has always been to empower students to analyze and solve problems through a broad base of knowledge in science, technology and teamwork. These skillsets are just a few of the factors that make ISAT alumni so valuable to modern companies like SBP.

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Published: Friday, November 7, 2014

Last Updated: Thursday, November 2, 2023

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