John Martinson

"The College of Integrative Sciences and Arts offered me a very flexible path to explore interests. Frankly, I was just looking to finish an undergraduate degree when I came back to ASU in the fall of 2009! But the first class I took, History and Philosophy of Sustainability, stimulated my interest in sustainability. I received permission to integrate the core sustainability program into my Bachelor of General Studies requirements. The flexibility of the curriculum allowed me to explore new interests, and academic renewal allowed me to move beyond the residual GPA of 1.87 I inherited from my previous attempts at completing a degree." 

"In a sense, I was reborn as a student later in life with a new outlook on what was possible. Invigorated by a renewed interest in learning, I graduated summa cum laude and then completed an Executive Master of Sustainability Leadership in the School of Sustainability and have continued to take ASU courses as a non-degree-seeking graduate student. 

"My business partner and I recently sold China Mist, and I am seeking other things to keep me busy. None of this would have been possible without that general studies degree."