Take a look at some the great things our very own CEC members did over the summer!
Our members spanning all majors and ages, made an impact this summer volunteering and interning at environmentally conscious organizations. We are very proud of them for continuing their environmental passions in the summer!
First we have Anthony Rivera, a second year communication and leadership major:
“I interned as the Assistant to the Executive Director at Keep Sugar Land Beautiful, an environmental-education nonprofit in Sugar Land, Texas. Some of the work I did included creating press/advertising materials, website development, preparing materials for the Board of Director meetings, revising the organization bylaws, and doing anything else she needed! I learned so much about how a nonprofit works and how underappreciated they are, considering how much of an impact they make in our society. It definitely encouraged me to pursue a career in the nonprofit field in the future.”
Next, we have Tristan Baker, a fourth year geography major who interned at the CDC:
“I interned at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Collegiate Leader in Environmental Health (CLEH) Intern. While I was there, I worked as a member of the communications and marketing team for the CDC’s Environmental Health Tracking Network.”
Victoria MacClements is a second year plan II and sustainability major.
She participated in the Land Use Issues in Costa Rica Maymester this summer
Kate Shirley is a fourth year sustainability studies major.
Here she is climbing Cotopaxi, the third tallest active volcano in the world, in Ecuador with James Collins.
Next up is James Collins, a third year environmental and government major who was in Ecuador over the summer:
“I studied abroad in Ecuador with Dr. Greg Knapp. We stayed with host families in Cuenca, learned about different cases of land development issues, and drank a lot of fruit juice. After the program, I worked on an organic farm in the Ecuadorian Andes, about four hours north of Quito, the capital city. There, I tied tomatoes, watered orange trees, and fed llamas.”
CEC member Ariana Rodriguez is a third year public health major who helps lead the Green Labs program:
This summer, Ariana Co-led the Green Labs program where she consulted with labs on the best practices as well as managed a Styrofoam and nitrile glove recycling program
Second year Urban studies major, Susan Ward, worked with Food Not Bombs and Keep Austin Fed this summer. She says: “It was so so cool and y’all should look into it!”
Katie Aplis is a fourth year environmental science major who got to study and research abroad in Botswana:
“This summer I studied abroad in Botswana, Africa and did research on climate change, ecosystems, and human dynamics. We spent a majority of the time in Ghanzi doing fieldwork and data collection and then part of the time on safari around the Okavango Delta and Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Elephants, cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, and giraffes are some of the animals that were spotted, to name a few.”
Last but not least we have second year sustainability studies major Katherine Trujillo:
Katherine met the Environmental Steward for ABC Studios and got to tour the studio lot and check out the sustainability efforts there. They repurpose the materials they use to build sets, partner with Habitat for Humanity to donate old set pieces, and have efforts in place to combat food waste from the dining halls and food on set.
We encourage our members to continue making a positive environmental impact. We love recognizing our members and all their achievements so don’t forget to tell us about it!
Campus Environmental Center 