Posse Veteran Scholar Works to Improve Sustainability at Dartmouth

Dartmouth Veteran Scholar Colson Palage, a rising sophomore, was recently selected as an intern for the college’s Office of Sustainability. The prestigious position is typically reserved for third- and fourth-year students. Colson is pursuing a double major in government and geography and hopes to eventually obtain a master’s degree in urban planning.

As a data analytics intern, Colson works with a team of students to track Dartmouth’s progress towards sustainability. The team monitors targets outlined in “Our Green Future,” a report that summarizes the college’s efforts to improve global sustainability and combat climate change.

“I think colleges and universities have a responsibility not only to teach their students about sustainability, but also to be examples of how the built environment can coexist with the natural environment in a way that is not detrimental,” Colson says, noting that he hopes to help Dartmouth become a leader in sustainability.

“Colleges have a responsibility not only to teach their students about sustainability, but also to be examples.”

He was introduced to the Office of Sustainability during spring break earlier this year when he participated in an Energy Immersion Trip to West Virginia. Throughout the 10-day program, students worked in Appalachian communities and examined socio-economic and environmental challenges that the region is currently facing.

“I admired the office’s devotion to innovative ideas and their particular attention to inclusivity as part of a holistic approach in the fight to mitigate climate change,” Colson says.

Before matriculating at Dartmouth with the Posse Veterans Program, Colson served as a United States Air Force Security Forces Manager at international bases in countries including Turkey, Qatar and England. He enlisted in the Air Force directly after graduating from high school.

“Not only did the military train me on a wide variety of tasks, it constantly moved me around geographically and allowed me to get to know a lot of fine young men and women from across every region in the country, making me feel connected to places I’d never been,” Colson says. “In any role I take on now, I may not know what I may encounter day-to-day, but that doesn’t feel daunting. I’ve built up the confidence to face almost any challenge.”