Dalhousie’s College of Sustainability celebrates eleven years and almost 600 Environment, Sustainability and Society (ESS) graduates. Their studies include a wide variety of disciplines, but they all share either a major or minor in ESS. Their career paths, forged from these interdisciplinary studies, tell stories of social change, innovation and hope for the planet.

Here is a sample of inspiring, recent alumni news.

Fatima Beydoun (BA (ESS/IDS)’21) and Caroline Merner (BA (ESS/IDS’)17) were both selected to the fully-funded inaugural cohort of ten McCall McBain scholars entering their graduate studies at McGill University. (Photo: the McCall MacBain Scholars)

Matthew Glynn (BSc (ESS/Biology)’21, BEng’19) is an Engineer in Training in Project Planning & Design Services at Halifax Regional Municipality.

Amanda Charles (BMgmt (ESS)’14) just started a new position as Manager, Marketing & Communications at the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.

Lars Boggild (BA (ESS/Political Science)’13) was promoted to Senior Manager, Banking & Investments with Vancity Community Investment Bank. (Photo: Lars Boggild Twitter)

Olivia Rempel (BJ (ESS)’15) is a digital video expert at GRID-Arendal in Norway.

Emma Norton (BA (ESS/IDS)’12) began a new position in February as Director of Communications & Atlantic Canada Organizer with the Climate Emergency Unit (a project of the David Suzuki Institute).

Kate Pepler (BA (ESS/ENVS/Marine Biology)’16) just opened a second branch of her zero-waste store, The Tare Shop. (Photo: thetareshop.com)

Rob MacNeish (BA (ESS/ENVS/IDS)’14) began his studies in Architecture at Dalhousie during the pandemic.

Kelsey Brasil (BCD (ESS)’16) is the co-founder with Siobhan Takala (BSc (ESS/Environmental Science)’19) of the youth empowerment not-for-profit Let’s Sprout. This winter, Brasil also began a new position as Project Manager with Efficiency Canada.

In December 2020, Takala was named to advocacy organization Starfish Canada’s list of Top 25 Environmentalists under 25. Now she has taken on a new role as Mobile Community Art Facilitator with Art Biker. (Photo: The Starfish Canada)

ESS alumni are making a difference through their contributions in a variety of sectors. If you graduated from the College of Sustainability, send your news to ESSalumni@dal.ca and we’ll help spread the word of your work for change! Join the ESS Alumni/College of Sustainability at Dalhousie group on LinkedIn to stay connected.

Shaping the future

To help students pursue studies in ESS and work for sustainable change, a new scholarship has been created. The ESS Alumni Scholarship will support a student entering the second year of the program who demonstrates high academic achievement and a keen interest in sustainability and community engagement. As an annual award that will be offered in perpetuity, the scholarship is a sustainable way to help shape future leaders in environmental change and sustainability.

Please consider making a gift by visiting projectDAL. For more information about this campaign or to set up a monthly donation, please contact Jessica Farrell, Associate Development Officer at jessica.farrell@dal.ca or 902.220.8717.