August 01, 2023
Julie Van - she/her
Pursuing a Bachelor of Sustainable Systems Management in the Corporate Sustainable Management specialization
Anticipated graduation date: Spring 2025
Where are you from? Describe what your hometown and/or family is like?
I am from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I am an international student, and the majority of my family is in Vietnam right now. I have a brother who is studying in Pittsburgh, PA. My family has always been a positive influence in my life, as they are very loving and supportive. My parents are very considerate of me, although sometimes they can get a bit overprotective (which is understandable since I am living so far away from home!). I love the weekend phone calls with my parents and brother, as they are the main driving forces for me to continue studying and trying hard in everything I do!
Why did you choose Sustainable Systems Management?
Initially, I was an Environmental Science, Policy and Management (ESPM) major, and I made the transition into SSM during the Spring semester of my second year. However, during my second year, I was fortunate enough to participate in the CFANS Mentor Program, and that experience led me to finally discover what I was passionate in. I always knew I wanted to work as an environmental consultant for businesses or development firms. Spending time talking with my mentor and learning more about his profession as a Phase I Environmental Consultant and about the field made me realize that switching to SSM would give me more practical knowledge about sustainable practices in industrial, business, and developmental settings. I also believe that studying SSM would be a stepping stone for me to enact meaningful environmental changes through incorporating more sustainability to our current systems.
What has been a favorite course or project in your program?
I think ESPM 3241W has been one of my favorite courses so far. ESPM 3241W is a writing intensive course about environmental policy. The reason that I really enjoy this class is because it has a very hands-on project that goes on for the whole semester. The project is about tackling a local environmental policy through changing them or altering them in some way. I thought the course is very interesting and meaningful because it gives you the opportunity to work with your local community, industry professionals, and other government officials to enforce a positive environmental impact through existing policies.
What student groups or extracurricular activities are you involved in and why?
I am not currently involved with any student groups yet due to my shy nature and busy schedules. However, I will try to put myself out there more in the next fall semester. The first step that I am taking is volunteering as a Welcome Week Leader for the Fall 2023 semester, as I would love to reach out to the incoming first years to help them with their transition, as well as improving my self-confidence!
What are your career goals after graduation?
When entering the field of environmental studies and environmental science, I was very lost due to the many different paths I could take for my academic journey and as my future career. I chose to focus on the Corporate Sustainable Systems, because I aim to tackle the issue of sustainability within the business and industrial setting. As of now, my plan for the future after graduation is to apply to intern in environmental consulting firms. I believe that the application of sustainability can be further driven in many industries, and the area that I want to focus on the most is environmental assessment for corporations to conduct their business, while staying compliant with any environmental regulation. In addition, I want to engage with my career as an environmental consultant on an international scale, as one of my goals for my career is to be able to participate in projects for countries that are still developing and striving to be more environmentally-friendly with their infrastructure.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with the SSM community?
Hard work pays off, and I think maintaining a hardworking and resilient spirit is crucial to our own path of success!