I am Jenn Aswald, a dual degree Sport Management student at Ivey/Western University (Kinesiology). As Ivey’s Vice-President Academic, I engage with exchange students and organize events.

Presently, I intern at a mental performance company (BoxOut) in Brampton). During winters, I work with sports/non-profit organizations and wellness sector companies (Ontario Volleyball Organization, Boler Mountain, Springbank Centre).

I was born and raised in Ontario with Western European roots and language skills. I have been a student-athlete since high school (e.g., national medallist, Western Mustangs 2019 Varsity Rowing) with interest in teamwork and leadership to build a fairer and more sustainable world together.

What is your personal definition of sustainability?

As a rower, I view sustainability as a cooperative team effort with leaders devising tailored strategies against threats to a healthy and prosperous future. My definition of sustainability includes purpose-propelled management strategies that make a difference before it is too late. The pursuit of sustainability in the most meaningful way must be cutting-edge because it needs to manage change with the most effective practices. Sustainability efforts remind me of tackling a river and the Greek philosopher Heraclitus' statement about change: "no person ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and not the same person."

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

I seek roles that require a healthy balance. As a student-athlete in high school and university, I learned that many resources are limited; for example, there is only a finite amount of time in a day. I aspire to learn how improved business practices could better balance environmental and revenue goals.

In the future, I would like to contribute to research and business operations that address the complex human factors of sustainability. After my specialist high skills major (Ministry of Education, Ontario) in Health and Wellness, I understood that our carbon footprint is not sustainable. Hence, in university, I set out to study both Health Sciences (Kinesiology) and Business to become a qualified and purpose-driven leader. With a dual degree in science and business, hopefully, enhanced by admission to Ivey’s Sustainability Certificate program, I aspire to qualify for a career in sustainability, whether in an academic or industry role. For example, when I lived in Paris, completing my grade 12 French course, and whenever I summered in Europe with extended family, I noticed the role the human factor plays in sustainability. I would embrace a role that studies what makes people seek unsustainability and is there a cure for it?

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

As a vegetarian, I studied sustainable nutrition in high school (Health and Wellness Specialist High Skills Major) and at Western (e.g., Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Exercise Nutrition). In my final high school year's Recreation and Fitness Leadership course, I hosted sustainable events, such as volleyball tournaments with a small carbon footprint. These efforts earned me the subject award in Sports Leadership in 2017. Rowing in high school and university, I realized how our commutes to daily team practices and out-of-town regattas needed strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of this athletic activity. Hence, I volunteered to carpool other rowers and be carpooled by others and took the leadership to learn EXCEL-based team scheduling. Additionally, I took the initiative to become part of international rowing experiences; for example, I participated in and observed – from a sustainability standpoint - how Boston organizes the world's largest three-day rowing competition (Head Of The Charles Regatta). As a volunteer at Fanshawe Lake's regattas, I communicated that we Londoners also could make regattas more sustainable. For example, by coordinating efforts to provide shelter from the elements and bringing food, drinks and shopping onto the regatta grounds, spectators no longer needed to leave by car for these services.