Dear [Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing from the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, where we train graduate engineers to tackle the world's most pressing sustainability and development challenges — from clean water access to climate resilience.

Our graduates work at organizations like yours across engineering consulting, international development, government, and the private sector. As we expand our programs to meet growing workforce demand, we want to ensure our curriculum reflects the skills and competencies that employers actually need.

We would greatly appreciate 10–15 minutes of your time to complete a brief survey on:

• The skills you value most in new sustainability/environmental hires
• Which roles are growing fastest at your organization
• Skills gaps you observe in recent graduates
• Interest in practicum or internship partnerships
• Your perspective on online graduate programs

Your input will directly inform our curriculum design, new program development, and industry partnership strategy. We are surveying 25 leading organizations in engineering, sustainability, and international development, and your organization's perspective is particularly valuable to us.

Survey link: [INSERT LINK]

Deadline: [INSERT DATE — suggest 3 weeks from send]

As a thank-you, we will share an executive summary of aggregated survey findings, which may be useful for your own workforce planning. All individual responses will be kept confidential.

If you are not the right person to complete this survey, I would be grateful if you could forward it to the appropriate colleague in your sustainability or talent acquisition team.

Thank you for helping us prepare the next generation of sustainability professionals. I welcome any questions or a conversation about how the Mortenson Center might partner with [Organization Name].

Dear Fellow Mortenson Center Alum,

I hope you are doing well and making an impact wherever your career has taken you since leaving Boulder.

As you may know, the Mortenson Center is at a pivotal moment. We are expanding our programs, developing new online degree options, and strengthening our global partnerships — and your experience and feedback are essential to getting this right.

We are conducting a comprehensive alumni outcome survey to understand:

• Where our 300+ graduates have landed in their careers
• Which skills from the program have proven most valuable
• What we could improve for future students
• How you might want to stay engaged with the Mortenson community

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes and covers your career path, program satisfaction, and interest in staying connected.

Survey link: [INSERT LINK]

Deadline: [INSERT DATE — suggest 4 weeks from send]

Your individual responses will be kept strictly confidential. We will share aggregate findings with the alumni community and use them to strengthen the case for program investment and growth.

A few specific asks:

• Salary data: We know this is sensitive, but even broad salary band data helps us demonstrate the ROI of the Mortenson Center degree to prospective students and university leadership.
• Mentorship: If you are open to mentoring a current student, please indicate that in the survey — we are building a formal mentorship program.
• Referrals: If you know prospective students who would thrive in our program, we would love to hear about them.

Thank you for being part of the Mortenson Center community. Your success is our strongest proof of impact.

Dear [Coordinator Name],

I am writing to propose a dedicated recruitment pathway between the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at CU Boulder and the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering. I believe there is a compelling and natural alignment between the Foundation's mission and our graduate programs that we are not yet fully leveraging.

Why this partnership makes exceptional sense:

• The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has committed $1.2B and targets 100,000 African scholars by 2030. US partners include ASU, UC Berkeley, Duke, Michigan State, and Stanford. CU should pursue partnership status immediately — the Mortenson Center should be a flagship destination for scholars pursuing graduate study.
• Mission alignment is direct. The Mortenson Center trains engineers to deliver sustainable water, sanitation, and infrastructure solutions in underserved communities — precisely the development challenges facing Africa and the Global South that the Foundation prioritizes.
• Proven global impact: Mortenson Center programs have served 5 million+ people across 30+ countries through student-led practicum projects. Scholars would gain hands-on field experience solving real problems in their home regions.
• Scale opportunity: The Foundation's target of 100,000 scholars by 2030 requires partner programs that can absorb and develop talent at scale. We are actively developing online and hybrid MS programs that could serve scholars who wish to study while remaining in their communities.
• Career outcomes: Our graduates work at leading organizations including Tetra Tech, AECOM, Water For People, the World Bank, and EPA — exactly the kind of career trajectories that demonstrate return on the Foundation's investment.

What I am proposing:

1. Designated Mortenson Center track in the Scholars Program for students interested in environmental engineering, sustainability, or WASH
2. Joint recruitment at Scholars Program events and through Foundation networks in Africa
3. Practicum placements in scholars' home countries, creating direct development impact during the degree
4. Mentorship pairing with Mortenson Center alumni working in African development

I would welcome the opportunity to meet and discuss how we can formalize this pathway. I can also connect you with our alumni who have gone on to leadership roles in African development organizations.

Thank you for your work supporting these extraordinary scholars. I believe the Mortenson Center can be one of the most impactful graduate destinations for them.

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, I write to respectfully request that CU Boulder's graduate engineering programs be considered for approved institution status by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) for purposes of scholarship eligibility and degree recognition.

About CU Boulder Engineering:

• CU Boulder's College of Engineering & Applied Science is ranked among the top 100 engineering programs in the United States, with specific strengths in environmental, civil, and aerospace engineering.
• The university holds full accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and our engineering programs are ABET-accredited, the gold standard for engineering education worldwide.
• CU Boulder is a Carnegie R1 research university and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), placing it among the most prestigious research institutions globally.

About the Mortenson Center:

• The Mortenson Center specializes in sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, water systems, and climate resilience — areas of critical strategic importance to the UAE's sustainability agenda.
• Our programs have delivered impact in 30+ countries, serving over 5 million people through applied engineering solutions.
• We are developing online and hybrid MS programs that would enable UAE-based professionals to earn a CU Boulder graduate degree while continuing to work in the region.

Strategic alignment with UAE priorities:

The UAE's commitment to sustainability leadership is exemplified by Masdar's $15 billion investment in clean energy, the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy, and the nation's hosting of COP28. These initiatives are creating substantial workforce demand for engineers trained in carbon accounting, climate risk, energy management, and sustainable infrastructure — precisely the competencies our programs develop.

Approved institution status would enable talented UAE nationals and residents to access Mortenson Center programs through government scholarship programs, strengthening the pipeline of sustainability professionals supporting the UAE's ambitious climate and energy goals.

We would welcome the opportunity to provide any additional documentation required for the approval process and to discuss potential institutional partnerships. I am available to visit Abu Dhabi at your convenience to present our programs in greater detail.

Thank you for your consideration. We believe this partnership would serve the UAE's strategic workforce development needs while connecting Emirati students with world-class engineering education.

Dear Dr. Al Jasser,

I write on behalf of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder to propose a scholarship partnership that would support graduate engineering education for students from the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The challenge we share:

Across OIC member states, hundreds of millions of people lack access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and resilient infrastructure. The IsDB's 2025 strategy rightly identifies human capital development and infrastructure as core priorities. Yet the pipeline of engineers trained to design, implement, and manage sustainable infrastructure in these contexts remains critically thin.

What the Mortenson Center offers:

• Mission-aligned graduate education: The Mortenson Center trains engineers specifically for the challenges facing developing nations — WASH systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable energy, and community-centered design.
• Proven impact at scale: Our programs have served 5 million+ people in 30+ countries, including multiple OIC member states across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.
• Practicum in home countries: Every MS student completes an applied practicum project. We would structure IsDB-sponsored scholarships so that practicum projects are conducted in the student's home country or region, ensuring direct development impact during the degree itself.
• World-class institution: CU Boulder is a top-100 global university, AAU member, and Carnegie R1 research institution. Our engineering programs are ABET-accredited.
• Scalable online delivery: We are launching online and hybrid MS programs that could serve a larger cohort of IsDB scholars at lower cost than traditional residential programs, while maintaining academic rigor.

Proposed partnership structure:

1. IsDB-Mortenson Scholarship Fund: Co-funded scholarships for 10–20 students annually from OIC member states, covering tuition, living expenses, and practicum travel.
2. Priority fields: Water & sanitation engineering, climate resilience, sustainable energy, and environmental management.
3. Return-to-service commitment: Scholars commit to returning to their home countries or OIC member states for a minimum of 3 years after graduation.
4. Joint practicum projects: IsDB could co-identify practicum sites aligned with its active investment portfolio, creating synergies between student training and IsDB project delivery.
5. Online MS option: For working professionals in OIC countries, partial scholarships for our online MS program would enable capacity building without requiring relocation.

The cost per scholar for a 2-year residential MS program is approximately $85,000–$110,000 (tuition + stipend). Our online MS option would reduce this to approximately $30,000–$45,000 per scholar, enabling the IsDB to train significantly more engineers per dollar invested.

I would welcome the opportunity to present this proposal in greater detail, either virtually or at IsDB headquarters in Jeddah. We are also happy to provide references from partner organizations in OIC member states where our graduates are currently working.

Thank you for your consideration. We believe this partnership could meaningfully accelerate human capital development across the Islamic world.

Dear Dr. Mwangi,

I write on behalf of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder to propose a partnership between the Equity Leaders Program (ELP) and our graduate programs in sustainable engineering and global development.

The Equity Leaders Program's extraordinary work — identifying and supporting high-achieving young Kenyans and East Africans from underserved communities — has created a pipeline of talented, motivated leaders. We believe the Mortenson Center is an ideal graduate destination for ELP scholars with interests in engineering, sustainability, and development.

Why the Mortenson Center is a natural fit for ELP scholars:

• Direct development impact: Our programs train engineers to solve the infrastructure, water, sanitation, and energy challenges that East African communities face daily. Over 5 million people have been served through student-led projects in 30+ countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
• Practicum in East Africa: Every MS student completes an applied practicum. ELP scholars could conduct their practicum in Kenya or neighboring countries, creating immediate development value while earning their degree.
• Career pathways: Our graduates go on to leadership roles at organizations active across East Africa — including Tetra Tech, Water For People, AECOM, the World Bank, and leading NGOs.
• World-class engineering education: CU Boulder is a top-100 U.S. engineering school, ABET-accredited, and a member of the Association of American Universities.
• Online MS option: For ELP alumni who are already working in Kenya, our forthcoming online MS program would allow them to earn a CU Boulder degree without leaving their positions — building capacity in place.

Proposed partnership:

1. ELP-Mortenson Graduate Pathway: Designate the Mortenson Center as a preferred graduate program for ELP scholars interested in engineering and sustainability, with streamlined advising and application support.
2. Co-funded scholarships: We would work with CU Boulder's financial aid office and Equity Group Foundation to develop co-funded scholarship packages for 3–5 ELP scholars annually.
3. Kenyan practicum projects: Partner with Equity Group Foundation's community programs to identify practicum sites where scholars can apply their training to real infrastructure and WASH challenges in Kenyan communities.
4. Alumni mentorship: Connect ELP scholars with Mortenson Center alumni working in East Africa for career guidance and professional networking.
5. Return-to-Kenya commitment: Structure scholarships with a return-to-service component, ensuring that trained engineers contribute to Kenya's development goals.

We deeply admire Equity Group's commitment to transforming lives through education and opportunity. The Mortenson Center shares that mission, and I believe that together we can develop the next generation of Kenyan engineers and sustainability leaders.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this proposal further, either virtually or during a visit to Nairobi. We are also happy to connect you with our alumni working in East Africa who can speak to the program's impact firsthand.