Julia Anselmo:
Q: How did you choose your major after enrolling at Keene State College?
A: I had a really amazing environmental teacher in high school, so I already knew that I wanted to pursue environmental studies as a major when I enrolled as a freshman. Additionally, when I was a junior, my advisor told me that the school had created a sustainability major that I still had time to pursue so I am graduating this semester with a double major in environmental studies and sustainability.
Q: Could you describe the Eco-Reps program here on campus?
A: I have worked for the Eco-Reps for three semesters and am now a student leader who is tasked with welcoming and assisting our new hires. The Eco-Reps work for the office of sustainability, alongside the Green Bike and R.O.C.K.S recycling programs, and mainly work to coordinate education outreach and community development through project management and event planning with the goal of getting Keene State students more involved with sustainability initiatives.
Q: Can you describe your current internship?
A: When I met with my advisor for the final time last semester, I only needed to complete three more classes for my majors, but I would still need a few more credits to graduate. Instead of taking a lower-level course to fulfill the credit requirement, my advisor suggested that I get an internship instead. I have done two other internships in the past and knew I wanted to work on something related to green design, so my advisor arranged a meeting with the representatives from the city of Keene in order to discuss potential upcoming projects such as installing more electric car chargers in order to incentivize more people to buy electric cars. Since that initial meeting, I have finished several projects and am currently working on a research paper assessing how best to implement electric vehicle and solar power infrastructure in Keene.
Q: What kind of career do you hope to begin after graduation?
A: I am passionate about green building design largely for the community development aspect. Green energy is another topic that interests me, but it is a very technical field whereas green building design gives me more opportunities to add my input while working in a team of people that are knowledgeable about other pillars of green design, such as architecture.
Q: What advice or inspiration do you have for incoming freshmen or students who have yet to declare a major?
A: My advice for anyone unsure of what major they want to pursue would be to start with sustainability because even if it’s not ultimately what they end up majoring in, a sustainability minor pairs well with virtually every major. Starting with a sustainability major also gives students the opportunity to discover their passion for subjects such as geography, architecture, writing, and safety!
Noah Charron:
Q: How did you choose your major after enrolling at Keene State College?
A: I didn’t actually declare my major until I was going into the second semester of my junior year. Before I declared my major I was debating between environmental studies or criminal justice, and I realized that I don’t like working inside so environmental studies spoke to me the most.
Q: What motivated you to choose Keene State College?
A: I played soccer for Keene State freshman and sophomore year, and prior to being offered a spot on the team, I was able to visit the school overnight to meet with the coaches and tour the facilities, which really made Keene stand out from the other places I was looking at. I also have an aunt who went here, so coming back to her alma mater has been a cool experience!
Q: Can you tell me a bit about your upcoming internship this summer?
A: After declaring my major, I was added to a group on Canvas that offered job and internship opportunities to all environmental studies and geography majors, and I noticed that there was a stormwater engineering internship being offered in my hometown of Goffstown. This will give me the chance to practice my GIS and CAD skills to produce maps, in addition to testing water quality from drainage systems. I am currently taking a GIS mapping course, which has gotten me well acquainted with GIS software, and I took an environmental geology class last semester where we conducted fieldwork while learning about the different scientific instruments, so I feel that Keene State College has prepared me with a strong skill set for my internship position.
Q: Is this internship paid?
A: Yes, it is which is definitely a benefit!
“My best advice would be to not stress too much about what you want to major in if you don’t already know… My other piece of advice, especially once students start looking for internships, is that networking is key”
Q: What career field do you hope to enter after graduation?
A: I have worked construction the past three summers and know that before a building can be built, the surrounding environment has to be assessed first. I would like to be able to use my construction background in combination with the environmental knowledge I have acquired here at Keene to write environmental impact statements that benefit both the environment and human development projects. I would also not be opposed to a career similar to what I will be doing for my summer internship because it would allow me to work outside.
Q: Do you have any advice or inspiration for undeclared students considering majoring in either environmental studies or geography?
A: My best advice would be to not stress too much about what you want to major in if you don’t already know. As an undeclared freshman, I decided to focus on my gen ed courses which were really helpful because I was able to take classes in a variety of different subjects and see what stood out to me the most. My other piece of advice, especially once students start looking for internships, is that networking is key. This is something that I learned growing up, as my mother would talk to many different people which opened opportunities for me, and continues to be a paramount skill that makes finding employment much easier in my experience.