Undergraduate students foster understanding of sustainability efforts in Oman by connecting with leaders around globe

While trekking along the coast of Oman earlier this year, explorer and wilderness advocate Mark Evans took a hiatus to jump on a video call with Hajer Al Mawali and Rahima Al Sulaimani, two Penn State students from Oman, to discuss sustainability and its impact on humankind.

Evans was in the midst of leading the Jewel of Arabia Expedition, a 30-day journey across the Rub' al Khali desert, helping tell the story of Oman’s sustainability, biodiversity and efforts to switch to 100% renewable energy. And Al Mawali and Al Sulaimani — both pursuing a minor in Sustainability Leadership — were working on an independent study at Penn State, building global sustainability content for a class learning module.

“Hajer and Rahima are great young people, fantastic ambassadors for their country, super smart and keen to help enlighten people about a country very few know much about,” Evans said. “It was great working with them. Sustainability is a critical topic for every individual at Penn State, irrespective of their area of study.”

With advisement from Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management Associate Teaching Professor Lucy McClain, Al Mawali and Al Sulaimani worked together to create a learning module for SUST 200: Foundations of Leadership in Sustainability, linking Oman’s ongoing sustainability initiatives with the stories and experiences from the Jewel of Arabia Expedition.

The students’ goal was to not only showcase what the expedition team encountered but also to demonstrate how Oman is positioning itself as a leader in environmental stewardship and sustainable development—providing future Penn State students context of what global sustainability efforts can look like.

“One of the most memorable parts of this project was welcoming Professor McClain to Oman in May during Oman Sustainability Week,” Al Mawali said. “Being able to show her my country firsthand — its landscapes, its culture and its commitment to sustainability — was a deeply meaningful experience. It gave me the chance to share Oman’s beauty through my own perspective as a local while also seeing it with fresh eyes through hers.”

The learning module created by Al Mawali and Al Sulaimani introduces Penn State students to Oman’s unique environmental challenges and cultural heritage, giving them a global perspective on sustainability. They also tied themes of the Jewel of Arabia Expedition — Oman’s biodiversity, cultural heritage and the role of youth in shaping a sustainable future — into their project’s purpose of connecting Oman’s story to global sustainability education.

“I learned that sustainability is most powerful when it is connected to culture and community,” Al Sulaimani said. “This project showed me how education can build bridges across continents and inspire collective action. Working with Professor McClain and engaging with Mark Evans deepened my appreciation for Oman’s leadership in sustainability and gave me confidence that even as a student abroad I can play a role in creating positive change.”

On Oct. 7, Evans attended McClain’s SUST 200 class as a guest speaker, detailing what he learned about global sustainability from the Jewel of Arabia Expedition. While at Penn State University Park, Evans also gave a Sustainability Showcase keynote address during Commonwealth Sustainability Week on these topics. His visit was sponsored by Sustain Penn State; the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management; College of Health and Human Development; Cooke Endowment; and Penn State Global.

A foundational course for the Sustainability Leadership Minor, SUST 200 teaches the fundamental concepts of social, environmental and economic sustainability and the interrelationships between these metrics and human behavior. Students are provided with a foundation in sustainability literacy that will facilitate their development as sustainability leaders in their respective fields.

“No matter what major or career you are in, sustainability has a role and a place,” McClain said. “The Sustainability Leadership minor is something that can be tacked on to any major at Penn State, enhancing students’ skill sets in a subject that is critical across many industries and disciplines.”

Originally published October 2025