Jennifer '16

Youth Climate Advocacy Committee Coordinator, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Throughout my time at Allegheny, I helped run an aquaponics system—I learned how to fix water pumps, treat nutrient deficiencies in the plants, keep the system clean, raise baby fish, treat injured fish, and germinate, grow, and harvest plants. One of the most valuable lessons I learned was when Professor Eric Pallant asked me to draft an inventory of the current aquaponics supplies and make a budget for supplies that needed to be ordered in the future. The challenge set me up for success down the road; he trusted my expertise as someone who had been working on the system and made me believe in my ability to take on large projects and have them succeed.

My current role is coordinating Phipps Conservatory’s Youth Climate Advocacy Committee and EcoLeader Academy summer program. These programs provide opportunities for high school and college-age youth to advance their knowledge of sustainability, the environment, climate change, and environmental and climate justice through hands-on activities, discussions, and presentations from experts in these fields, and working on climate action or environmental justice projects of their choice. I am so honored to be able to provide support, resources, and funding for these brilliant students to tackle the issues they find most important. They inspire me every day with what they accomplish.

Both programs fall under a larger project called the Climate Toolkit, which was founded by Phipps and offers a platform for institutions to share what is or is not working for them and ask for assistance and knowledge.

Find what energizes you, work hard, strive to improve, support and encourage others, communicate clearly, let the little things go, and try to find the fun in everything you do!