Class of 2003

Sara Braden

Christopher Curran

I've always been interested in environmental activism and how conservation issues relate to social and political struggles.  I didn't decide to be an environmental studies major, though, until the summer before my sophomore year when I was camping and became entranced by a patch of moss which seemed to plant the idea of being an ES major in my head.  My double major is Latin American Studies and I have a Spanish/Portuguese minor.  I would like unite my interests in the environment, social justice, and languages by finding work with an international NGO.

Chloe Diegel

I knew before I chose a college that I wanted to be an ES major, so when I came to Mac, there was no question in my mind that I would be a part of the department.  The difficulty was finding my other major, which ended up being geology.  Environmental Studies and environmental science are so important and critical to Macalester College especially right now.  More and more, students are becoming aware of their impacts on the Earth and what they can do as individuals or as part of an organization to change how we interact with our surroundings.  Whether you are interested in economics, history, biology, or political science, the environment plays a role.  As for post graduation plans, for the summer I am working on a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Farm just outside of Boulder, Colorado.  After that ends in September, I have no plans, but I know that I will be trying my hardest to find a job that I am passionate about - which will most likely relate to the environment.

Elizabeth Durney

Environmental issues have been in discussions around me for as long as I can remember.  I did not know though, that studying ES would fit so perfectly until I took a global biodiversity class freshman year and spent the following summer canvassing for Sonoma County Conservation Action at home in northern California.  The major was the next logical step.  I have decided to minor in political science because I feel that the two dovetail in meaningful ways.  The way forward on most environmental issues is through effective discussion and the utilization of existing policy structures.  I plan to pursue a path that allows me to merge the two fields after graduation.  Studying at  Macalester has been a positive experience, and I urge incoming students to consider an environmental studies major.

Susannah Erwin

I chose to major in Environmental Studies because I love spending time outdoors and wanted to learn more about the things I encountered on my adventures in Patagonia.  This major is also a great complement to my Geography major.  Best of all, the classes are lots of fun and so are the other people in the majors.  After gradation I will be managing sections of the Long Trail in Vermont and exploring the great beyond while saving the world.

Tarah Heinzen

Gina Koester

Bernadette Miller

Why I chose to be an ES major:  I have always enjoyed exploring the natural world.  It was partly because of this love of nature that I initially became concerned about the many pressing environmental issues currently confronting the world.  I later came to regard environmental issues as important primarily because of the fact that they are inextricably linked to other important issues such as societal inequality, economic globalization, development policy, and cultural imperialism.  Still, I think that it is the little things, like loosing myself in the contemplation of an unfurling maple leaf or laughing beneath a waterfall, that make the study of the environment so enjoyable for me.

What I plan on doing after graduation:  I plan to work at White Earth Reservation (in Northern Minnesota) researching issues related to wild rice and assisting in the Native Food Program which is part of the White Earth Land Recovery Project.  After that I will probably attend graduate school.

Molly O'Sullivan

Since I was young I have always been interested in the environment.  Much of this is due to my (environmentally conscious) family, with which I spent many summers camping, gardening, and going to the beach.  In addition, growing up on an isthmus, next door to a park, and living in a city with numerous hiking and bike trails helped to shape my attitude toward the environment.  I initially was attracted to Macalester because of its ES major and began pursuing that during my first semester here.  Out of my Environmental Studies major, I decided on a core in Anthropology, which I later expanded to a major.  I also completed a biology minor.  I am most interested in changes in the environment and how people interact with or alter the land (in terms of development, conservation, etc.) and what effect that has on local ecosystems and human populations.  I have no plans for next year, though I would like to pursue work in the field of conservation or restoration.

Daniel Peterson

Emily Reynolds

Melody Sakazaki

I am an ES major because of a teacher I had in middle school named Jack Moyer.  He is a marine biologist in Japan, and he has been doing research on a small island called Miyake for over 50 years.  My week on Miyake opened my eyes to the beauty of natural areas and from that experience I have wanted to become like Jack Moyer in teaching about the environment.  I would like to go into education at some point in the future but currently I am interested in alternative energy issues.  I do not have plans for next year yet I am still looking for job opportunities.

Nora Scherer

I knew from a young age that I cared about the environment and wanted to learn what I could do to help. When I started at Macalester, therefore, I knew I wanted to look into the department. I liked the department, and decided to be a major. I am also a double major in economics, and plan to work in development policy after graduation. I am interested in creating solutions for development issues that are sustainable and beneficial for all those involved.

Theresa Song

Like many of my friends, I have always been interested in environmental issues and enjoyed spending time with nature.  One of the highlights of my childhood was playing in the woods behind my house, but that all changed when a new housing development came in and destroyed it all.  Just as spending time near the ocean was important to Rachel Carlson, the woods was my place to obtain both intellectual stimulation and peace of mind.  Environmental Studies is an interesting discipline because it raises a lot of important questions.  I think it should be understood that not all environmentalists are anti-development or anti-capitalist.  It's simply a matter of taking more environmental approaches to what we do rather than completely disregarding the fact that we live on this earth WITH an infinite number of other equally-important living things.  I hope to relate this valuable knowledge to Twin Cities youth this summer when I'll be working as a counselor again at Camp Sunrise, an environmental and cultural education camp.  The Director is a friend and fellow ES major/Mac grad.  For next year, I hope to work with Admission Possible, an AmeriCorps program that helps Twin Cities public high school students with the college application process.  I will miss Macalester but I feel fairly confident and well-prepared for welcoming the "Real World".  Earth Day Every Day!