An interview with Maia Matheny- Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, C/O 2022
What are you studying?
I’m studying Environmental Science and Policy, with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist studies
Do you hope to pursue a career in sustainability in the future?
I don’t know the exact definition of a career in sustainability, but I hope that whatever job I end up in values sustainability, whether directly or indirectly. Ultimately I want to work in the environmental nonprofit sector, which would most likely be a “career in sustainability.”
Have you had any past experiences (internships, volunteering, etc) that led you down this particular academic and professional path?
I did DukeEngage in Portland, OR after my freshman year, and I worked at a food waste redistribution nonprofit. My internship gave me a sense of the atmosphere of the nonprofit career sector and I found that a lot of my values aligned with the people I was working with and the mission of the organization. I realized I was really interested in food systems and regenerative agriculture, and I shifted my studies from Linguistics to Environmental Science with the goal of working at a nonprofit.
What resources do you/have you used at Duke to explore sustainability career pathways?
I haven’t explored a lot of resources at the career center, and most of the information I have accumulated is from Environmental Science classes, my Theory of Sustainability project, and my internship. I hadn’t previously labeled my interest as a “career in sustainability,” but looking at it through this lens may help identify career resources at Duke.
What do you recommend to students to do to learn more about careers in sustainability?
I haven’t thoroughly explored the career resources available at Duke, but I think the best way to learn about careers in sustainability is through firsthand experience to get a sense for what the day-to-day is like.
What were your most and least favorite parts of your sustainability job/internship/class and why?
My favorite part of my internship in sustainability was going outside Duke and into the real world to do hands-on, grassroots work and see the immediate difference you can make. The organization I worked at grew from supplying just one food pantry to delivering thousands of pounds of food every year. Seeing this type of work is quite empowering, because it is proof that small actions can have a magnified impact. My least favorite part of my experience with sustainability is the concept of mass-scale behavioral change, because it feels insurmountable and I don’t know enough about it to feel confident in tackling it.