An inquiry into sustainability careers, from an interview with Anna Balas - Trinity '19; Sustainability Certificate holder; Currently working for Food Corps
What do you recommend Duke students should do to learn more about careers in sustainability?
Try it out through an internship during the summer or part time job at Duke and then find a mentor! You can find an alumni using Duke’s online tools, or talk to someone working for Duke on-campus who already has that job (this felt more approachable to me than reaching out to alums). You can find most jobs have an equivalent at Duke even if it’s not exactly what you would like to do. There are people working in all different areas of sustainability, even if it’s not their job title. If no one at Duke has a job related to one that you want, find people who have your dream jobs and just reach out to them through email! The worst they can do is not reply! Specifically at Duke, reach out to Becky Hoeffler at Sustainable Duke, and she can probably find someone at Duke who is working in an area of sustainability that interests you (athletics, facilities, wellness, policy, carbon offsets, recycling and waste).
Was your major related to sustainability in any way?
My major was environmental science and policy, so yes! But also, you have to make that major (or any major) relate to sustainability. I was very intentional in making my major centered around education that I thought would be helpful in sustainability rather than more policy or hard science focused. Ask a mentor for class recommendations, and don’t be afraid to take classes that might not be the most popular or well-known courses in your department. Specifically with sustainability, there are a ton of courses that I took for my major that were not coded for my department. Find some cross-listed classes! Sustainability is interdisciplinary.
What was your career path? How did you get where you are today?
I have always been passionate about the environment and education (I was a summer camp kid!), but I wanted to make climate change approachable to normal people and empower them to feel like they could do something on an individual level. The sustainability certificate and an internship with Sustainable Duke first introduced me to campus sustainability. I absolutely love the idea of using the campus as a way to teach and also model what sustainability can look like at a broader scale (a campus is basically a mini-city!). I interned with sustainable Duke for all four years, and did DukeEngage in Costa Rica my sophomore summer. I loved the experience, but it made me realize that I didn’t want to focus on environmental science (like hard research science) and solidified my excitement for campus sustainability. I also did a Bass Connections project with Sustainable Duke to broaden my experiences. I made sure that over my four years with Sustainable Duke I got experience in different aspects of campus sustainability: dining, pollinator protection (landscaping management), carbon offsets, and athletics. My junior summer I interned with the University of Michigan Office of Campus Sustainability and got to see what it would be like to work full-time in a university sustainability office. I also got a lot of experience in zero-waste initiatives and what a more bureaucratic public school setting looks like (Duke has a lot more autonomy since it’s private!). I have always wanted to do a service year, so this year I am serving with FoodCorps, an AmeriCorps service program in Ferndale, Michigan. I’m educating young kids about food, nutrition, and sustainability and I love it! I’ve gained a lot of education and leadership skills as well as project management planning. After my service year, I plan to apply to jobs at university sustainability offices.
What resources did you use to get into contact with your first sustainability employers?
I applied to Sustainable Duke through the student intern program and was able to use contacts there (Tavey Capps) to get an internship at the University of Michigan. Making university sustainability accessible to students is an easy and approachable way to help them start to make those connections. Creating an event hosted by Sustainable Duke and marketed toward helping make those sustainability connections would be a great way to help make connections!
What do you hope to accomplish going forward when it comes to a career in sustainability?
I hope to help universities expand their sustainability efforts in order to educate younger students and put pressure on other organizations to be more sustainable (If an entire university can do it, your city/company/non-profit can too!).
How is your career related to sustainability? What are your responsibilities?
I work teaching kids about nutrition and food, but I try to incorporate sustainability into all aspects (equity of food systems, zero food waste, garden education). I also am in charge of helping the school to transition out of the FoodCorps program and continue garden education without an AmeriCorps service member.