About Rise

Imagine a place where classroom walls offer a lesson in sustainable construction and outdoor greenery is really an edible landscape. The RISE program at Michigan State University provides students with a living, growing academic environment.

The RISE (Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment) program provides students who share similar values and academic interests with a focused residential learning environment as well as an academic specialization in environmental studies. And being part of a Big Ten research university with global reach and vast opportunities at your fingertips comes with its own perks. Established and supported by a consortium of seven colleges (see "Participating Colleges" on left), RISE provides first-year students at Michigan State University with the resources to successfully transition from high school to university academic life.

Our rapidly changing environment opens up a world of opportunities for students passionate about sustainability and environmental stewardship. Michigan State University ranks as one of the nation’s top universities for sustainability and it’s where next-generation leaders gain the experience needed to address some of the world’s biggest environmental challenges.

RISE students participate in a community and curriculum focused on hands-on engagement. Students get their feet wet and their hands dirty while applying their knowledge to real problems and projects on campus, in the community, and globally.