Meet honors alumnus Sterling Bowen

Sterling Bowen has worked in the field of sustainability for the last two decades. An honors student, he graduated from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in 1996.

Currently, Bowen works for a private equity firm that is focused on carbon-free asset classes. He is also head of origination for the firm’s energy trading business which buys and sells the rights to energy efficiency, thereby decreasing demand for fossil-fuel-based generation and demand charges for business and homeowners.

Learn more about Bowen in this Q&A.

What was the most valuable part of your UNC Charlotte education?

The honors program was the most valuable part of my time at UNC Charlotte. Not only was the rigor of the classes quite high and challenging (I was definitely pushed by several professors), but they also offered the opportunity to take on many of the themes of a classical, humanities education with students from outside one’s major.

What is your favorite honors-related memory?

When the honors group was a lot smaller (in the early ‘90s) it was possible to take a yearly retreat to Carolina Beach, which many of the honors faculty would join. It was a great time to bond and have some great small group discussions.

How did your time at UNC Charlotte prepare you for your career?

The required critical thinking prepared me, a studio art major, to be able to take on professional opportunities outside of this field.

What advice do you have for current Honors College students?

Enjoy your time in college — it is a gift. Stay up late reading or talking, expose yourself to art and music you’ve never seen and try to do something new and out of your comfort zone.

What three words would you use to describe UNC Charlotte?
​
Three words that describe UNC Charlotte are growing, challenging and rewarding.

What do you wish more people knew about UNC Charlotte?

UNC Charlotte has changed so much since I was a student. One of the biggest changes, which potential students should consider, is access to the city of Charlotte itself, especially with light rail access from campus to uptown.