I grew up in Burlington, Ontario right next door to a Provincial Park so I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy the beauty of nature for most of my life. My time in high school opened my mind up to many global environmental problems and how pressing they are. This immediately inspired me to pursue sustainability as a lifelong career. I entered Western in 2021 studying Environmental Science for my first 2 years. I chose to pursue Ivey in 3rd year to supplement my technical knowledge with practical business expertise so I can one day enact real change in the world.

What is your personal definition of sustainability? 

I always like to picture sustainability as an older individual who plants trees that they will never enjoy the shade of. It is an act of giving, not for one’s own gain, but for the long-term prosperity of the future. Consumers should act with modesty, having a healthy respect for the Earth and its resources. It’s vital to understand the larger picture behind Earth’s ecosystems, how interconnected its aspects truly are, and maintain a healthy level of respect for what is eventually used. These ideas underpin the Indigenous value of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, which perfectly illustrates my definition of sustainability. 

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

As I passed through high school and became more aware of how severe the issues facing our planet really are, it was second nature to me that this was my calling. I knew then and there that I wanted to dedicate my life to the betterment of our astounding planet. I’m excited to pursue a dual-degree in Environmental Science and Business, enabling me to offer new perspectives on environmental issues. I believe I can offer a unique view on topics of sustainability by harnessing the time I’ve spent studying the technical science behind environmental problems along with the many areas of business operations. I’m hopeful that I can spend time during my professional career working in sustainability-related roles for businesses with major environmental impacts and offer advice on how to improve the sustainability of their operations. I would also be extremely interested in working in the green technology space, helping to design products that will combat climate change for years to come. In other words, I envision sustainability underlying my entire professional career. It’s clear to me that issues such as climate change are the largest ones facing our planet, and I want to work on the frontlines to help.

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

I have had the privilege of engaging in a few sustainability projects. During my time in high school, I was the president of a Junior Achievement Company named “Shine Apparel Toronto”. We sold sweaters with positive messaging while contributing a large portion of our profits to both environmental and mental health NGOs. On top of overseeing all departments of the company, I helped conduct in-depth research on proposed environmental organizations to decide where our proceeds should be donated. In the end, we chose an organization named BurlingtonGreen which runs local education events for Burlington residents, teaching them how to introduce more sustainable practices into their daily lives. More recently, in January I had the privilege of being a delegate at the 2024 Commerce Engineering Environmental Conference (CEEC) held at Queens University. Hearing from current sustainability experts, enjoying an environmental trade show, and engaging in workshops allowing us to offer sustainability advice to companies from all over Canada was truly a rewarding experience. My team and I were also able to compete in the sustainability-based case competition and ended up placing second overall. I’m excited to pursue more sustainability initiatives going forward.

Please list any sustainability-related interests you want to explore during the certificate. 

• Climate Change Mitigation
• Green Technologies
• Circular Economy
• Regenerative Agriculture