Hi, I’m Abby! Before coming into Ivey, I majored in Sociology where I got to take courses in areas such as global inequality, environmental science, and social theory. I learned a lot about social and environmental issues impacting our world from a micro- and macro-economic lens, which has sparked my interest in this field. I am incredibly interested in and passionate about climate action and serve as VP Events for Student Energy, a club focused on sustainability and clean energy solutions. In my free time, I love getting outside and playing all sports, especially ultimate frisbee and basketball!  

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

To me, sustainability means actions that can be effectively maintained and supported long-term. In a business context, this implies a company will have little to no negative impact on the environment and oftentimes will give back to society, whether through the local community or on a more global scale. Sustainability must be ingrained in the operations of a business, which may mean restructuring the company’s entire organization. Sometimes this comes at the cost of being more time consuming or expensive, but ultimately businesses can have a large impact on the environment if they choose to commit to more sustainable practices.  

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

Sustainability has always been at the back of my mind when considering jobs and my future career. Specifically, I am passionate about attaining clean water and clean energy for everyone around the world and lowering carbon emissions drastically. My dream job is to either work at a non-profit involved in these areas or be a consultant and leader in sustainability for businesses. Everyone has a part to play in the fight for climate action and climate justice, but larger changes must be implemented before we can start to see any real impact. Those changes start with organizations and businesses that have a big influence on the global economy and environment.  

I am also really interested in the intersection of sustainability and marketing/communications. Marketing can have a strong effect on the way consumers act and if there is one barrier to climate action, it is changing people’s mindsets and daily habits. Whatever I chose to do in my career, I hope first and foremost that I can make a difference and ultimately help the earth however I can. 

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

I have been involved with Student Energy – a club on main campus – for two years now and this year I was fortunate to be elected VP Events. Throughout this year, I have organized and led many events pertaining to sustainability and climate action. Some of those include a sustainability panel with the USC presidential candidates, a garbage cleanup on campus, a workshop for a sustainability conference, and networking events. It has been a great experience having a leadership position that allows me to plan these amazing initiatives and events. 

Alongside planning and running large-scale events centered around sustainability, I try to incorporate sustainable practices into every area of my life. I have gotten my entire family and many friends into using reusable products like grocery bags, Tupperware, and metal straws. I have also had many important conversations with people – especially people who are less aware of or in denial about the impacts of climate change – about the increasing need for climate action. I hope to take this a step further by being accepted into the sustainability certificate.