Schoolin'

It's hard to describe the immense transformation that has occurred in my life since first becoming an undergrad. I've had so many experiences within and without the context of the University that have greatly shaped who I am and who I will become. As far as academics, I started off majoring in Geology. A year and a half into that I began questioning what is really important in my life, and more or less decided it didn't involve the chemical composition of granite. I realized I cared more about practical things like the problems of the world and environmental degradation...that's about the time I discovered Sustainable Development.

So after finishing a minor in Geology I began taking classes for the Sustainable Development concentration and haven't looked back since. Recently I have been taking classes more geared toward my interest in social justice. One of the greatest traits that I have come to enjoy about my major is its inherent flexibility. It has allowed me to see a given problem from several different perspectives. Eventually I would really like to get a MA in environmental studies, focusing mainly on policy and environmental injustice/racism. I also hope to incorporate these themes into a coherent senior seminar project...

I welcome ideas

Outside the realm of academia I have held various uninteresting jobs. The greatest thing I took from each of these was the people I met. Washing rich people's dishes all night at Grandfather Mountain Golf and Country Club...not so interesting. The highschool dropouts and occasional reformed meth-heads I worked with there.....yeah, pretty interesting. Frequently when I haven't been employed, I've worked for free as a volunteer. My volunteer oppurtunities have been an extremely valuable learning experience; especially when I've assisted small nonprofits with grant writing. Now I'm ready to see what this semester will bring.