Student Spotlight Part 4: Sustainability Award Winners Reflect on Their College Careers
THE Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development is proud to celebrate the hard work and exceptional dedication of its recent graduates. Six students from the Class of 2023 earned departmental honors, two students received the Stuart Gaffin Award for Leadership and Commitment, and four students were inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. We caught up with them to learn more about their post-graduation plans, their understanding of sustainability, and their advice to current students.
Senior graduates Frederique Fyhr, Sophie Grant, Vida Han and Bea Urofsky have been named to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Students are chosen on the basis of the breadth, depth, and rigor of their academic achievements, as well as recommendations from faculty members of their intellectual promise, character, and accomplishments within and at the outside the classroom.
Q&A with Frédérique Fyhr
What advice do you have for students looking to complete the sustainability program?
The Sustainable Development major is very broad and covers a number of topics. I would encourage prospective majors to explore all of their interests early on so you can figure out what niche really interests you and take courses you enjoy. Also take advantage of graduate courses offered by SIPA and SUMA/SUSCI programs, which can count towards your major requirements and often explore unique topics that undergraduate courses do not cover.
What are your plans after graduating from the program?
I will be joining Barclays Investment Banking in the fall as an analyst within the Sustainable and Impact Banking Group.
What attracted you to the Sustainable Development major or specialization?
Like many eager freshmen, I came to Columbia with the intention of following a pre-med track. However, when I realized what this had in store for me, I decided that taking up physics again wasn’t something I really wanted to do. I have always loved science and the sustainability major would give me the opportunity to study a science-based curriculum from a humanities perspective. I wanted the opportunity to take classes that focused on current social, political, and environmental concerns.
What was your favorite class in the Sustainable Development program and why?
My favorite course in the sustainability program was ‘Land Resources and Sustainability’, taught by Peter Kelemen. It was one of the first courses I took in the sustainability department and Professor Kelemen shaped my perspective on a number of sustainability issues. Growing up in Texas, everyone knows someone who works in oil and gas. It is an industry on which many build their livelihood. During the course, Professor Kelemen covered the history of fossil fuels and the future of the clean energy transition, highlighting potential renewable energy challenges that many tend to ignore. I’ve had the opportunity to write about hydraulic fracturing in the Permian Basin and the implications of lithium and cobalt mining following the rise of lithium-ion batteries. I found these articles incredibly enjoyable and informative to write, which made this course my favorite in the program.
What was your greatest achievement at Columbia?
I would say my biggest accomplishment at Columbia was managing being a student-athlete through the four years of college. Being an athlete can be physically and mentally exhausting. Taking 4-5 classes per semester on top of practice/travel commitments was sometimes hard to manage. I’m proud of myself for all the work I’ve done in class and for the field hockey team. My experience at Columbia wouldn’t be the same otherwise, and I feel very accomplished for everything I’ve accomplished as a student and an athlete.
Q&A with Sophie Grant
What advice do you have for students wishing to complete the Sustainable Development program?
Explore all your interests. Sustainable Development is everywhere!
What are your plans after graduating from the program?
I received a full scholarship to pursue a masters degree in nursing at Emory University.
What attracted you to the Sustainable Development major or specialization?
I wanted to learn and confront the most pressing issues of our time. The program taught me to critically assess problems and design equitable solutions.
What was your favorite class in the Sustainable Development program and why?
I loved “Qualitative Research Methods for Sustainable Development” with Lisa Dale, in which I did my own original research project on the effects of eco-anxiety. It was so rewarding to present my work at the end of the semester to peers and professors.
How has the program shaped your understanding of sustainability?
I have come to realize that sustainability issues permeate all aspects of society. In everything I do in the future, I will bring a sustainability lens.
Q&A with Vida Han
What advice do you have for students wishing to complete the Sustainable Development program?
- Diversify your skills with the different courses (technical or non-technical) that you can take, especially if you don’t know which part of sustainable development interests you.
- Do your best to build relationships with your professors by scheduling office hours with them. Their advice and support is significant and you can learn a lot from them!
- Look for other opportunities to explore and develop your passion for sustainability outside of class and school. There are tons of opportunities to network and learn from professionals in the field, especially since you’re in New York!
What are your plans after graduating from the program?
Working at a fintech company, then possibly returning to graduate school (at some point).
What attracted you to the Sustainable Development major or specialization?
I grew up surrounded by nature and saw the changes that rapid urbanization had on this environment, which profoundly influenced my view of the world. I have always been drawn to the different facets of sustainable development, whether environmental, commercial or development, and the major also seemed to me to be a natural extension of my studies in economics and sociology in France, in as part of the Dual BA program. It was through the SDEV program that I was able to really explore and hone my passion for sustainability and understand the different schools of thought and their application in the real world.
What was your favorite class in the Sustainable Development program and why?
I really enjoyed the capstone workshop course for seniors, as it was an opportunity to apply learning from our program to real life situations, while being able to get a taste of what what is the field related to sustainable development in reality. I also appreciated it very much because as a dual BA student I did not and would not have the opportunity to complete the four years of the program and meet more peers, but I was able do so through this course and work closely with others to develop a fulfilling project. I also enjoyed energy law, and through the amount and applicability of the course content, I was able to grasp a much better understanding of the energy landscape in the United States and around the world.
What was your greatest achievement at Columbia?
I would say that my greatest accomplishments relate to the transition periods in my academic career and my ability to overcome the challenges that come my way. For example, being in the Dual BA program with Sciences Po, it was personally very intimidating for me to think about the prospects of being thrown into my freshman year in a new city, a new country, and a new school. In addition to having to deal with unexpected obstacles and unforeseen events just before graduation, I am very grateful to my family, friends, peers and teachers who have supported me throughout the difficult moments.
Beyond the classroom, what extracurricular activities have you participated in?
I had the opportunity to work at a climate tech startup that focused on demand response management systems based in New York during the summer of my freshman year. I also previously worked part-time at a UK-based community benefit company called Force of Nature, which worked at the intersection of mental health and the climate crisis. Through my role there, the company took me to COP26 in Glasgow where I was able to participate in the work of the New York Times Climate Hub alongside my team and speak on various panels alongside chefs business and youth activists on youth power issues. engagement and community within the climate space.
Q&A with Bea Urofsky
What advice do you have for students wishing to complete the Sustainable Development program?
If you don’t already have one, find a hobby, preferably one that requires you to use your hands. The information you will learn is heartbreaking to say the least. It’s frustrating and terrifying. You will discover immense, but inequitable, mass suffering and destruction. I believe that finding a way to ground yourself physically and emotionally is as important as any class. I also can’t recommend enough that you set limits on how much time you spend interacting directly with the work ahead of you, and stick to them with all your might. You will never be able to “solve” climate change on your own, and to be an effective team member, you need to be kind to yourself. The rest is radical.
What are your plans after graduating from the program?
I would like to work in New York as a GIS and am looking for a job! If anyone who sees this has any job leads, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What attracted you to the Sustainable Development major or specialization?
I was drawn to the sustainability major by the hands-on nature of the program and its interdisciplinary nature, as my goal was to graduate with technical skills and a multidimensional understanding of the climate crisis.
What was your favorite class in the Sustainable Development program and why?
“Environmental Health and Justice” taught at the end of public health school by Ana Navas-Acien. Not only is the professor amazing, but she brings in experts in each specialty covered in the course so you can learn from people who work in the field. More importantly, however, this course really expands its definition of what the environment really is. This course changed the way I see the world around me.
What was your greatest achievement at Columbia?
My greatest accomplishment at Columbia was learning to set and maintain work boundaries that prioritize my mental and physical well-being over a sense of productivity.
For more information on the program and upcoming events, please visit Undergraduate Sustainability Program website.
