I am currently a third year student at the Richard Ivey School of Business, and spent my first two years studying social sciences, with a major in Jewish Studies at Western. I have spent the past 11 summers at Camp Ramah in Canada where I have spent most of my time working hands on with children with special needs. I am extremely passionate about working with underprivileged children and am of the belief that our generation truly has the ability to change the world. I enjoy exploring the world in all forms, and dream of one day going to space.
Additional Information
What is your personal definition of sustainability?
To me, sustainability means not sacrificing the future for the now. In a business sense, I think of this as companies balancing short term profits with the well being of people and the planet itself. I believe sustainability is a connection between people and the planet and ensuring that the planet itself is still available for future generations. I also see sustainability on a greater level as it relates to all humans no matter their background or physical or mental capabilities. To me this means giving these people the chance to succeed when they are not always given a chance.
What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?
I am extremely interested in working in the nonprofit sector and am exploring the options of a career in social enterprise consulting. In both these fields, I believe sustainability is always at the forefront. I believe that the work the nonprofits and charities do can help shape the world and the work that others do. It is because of this that I am interested in the certificate in sustainability. I hope to work to challenge and break down the barriers between nonprofits and corporations, as I believe companies are responsible for the well being of humans and the planet more then they are responsible for just supplying a product to their customers. While I am extremely focused and interested in sustainability, one reason I am interested in this certificate is because I would like the opportunity to learn more about applying sustainability projects and concepts into my everyday work life. I believe that my interests and career aspirations, paired with the opportunity to learn more about business sustainability will be extremely beneficial to my professional future.
What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?
Based on my definition of sustainability, I have undertaken a few actions that I plan on continuing in the future. As the president of Campus Co. Auto Detailing, I implemented a system in which we attempted to recycle all water that we used in order to ensure that we used minimal waste. Additionally, any extra water that was still clean was used at the end of each day to water plants in the area in which we worked. As well, I have spent the past two summers working with children with special needs and teaching them skills such as water skiing and languages, both of which I felt were great skills and helped contribute to a more complete world. Lastly, I have spent the past three years working with a person suffering from conversion disorder and have worked to ensure that she would not lose her job due to her mental disability, something that her boss was attempting to do, and something that I successfully shut down. To me, these are all examples of sustainability, as to me sustainability goes hand in hand with social responsibility as well as environmental sustainability.
