"My Environmental Studies degree helped me to get my foot in the door as an outdoor instructor, learning about recreation and natural resource management in Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Malaysia, and Utah, and it has opened the door for me to attend law school." Alyssa Florack '17

"I plan to go into Environmental Land Use law, at the intersection of environmental and housing issues. Looking back on my time in the Environmental Studies program, I greatly appreciate the amount of flexibility I was given to pursue my genuine interests. I was able to craft a course load that mirrored my interest in environmental justice and equipped me to do that sort of work in the future. Without that flexibility, I am not too sure where I would be today."

"For me, the greatest value of my Environmental Studies minor is its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Working as an economic consultant for the energy industry, I typically spend my days performing quantitative modeling for energy industry clients, such as for renewable asset investors or for electric utilities hoping to use data to support a coal plant retirement decision. Although my current work represents a relatively “niche” aspect of the Environmental Studies discipline, my years in the ENVS program have provided me with a uniquely holistic view of the impact of my work across various sectors of society and the economy, pushing me to consider market dynamics, technology trends, and the regulatory environment as complex, dynamic levers in an ever-changing future." Michelle Kang '18, Energy Associate, Charles River Associates

"My Environmental Studies degree has been of paramount importance in the early stages of my career, equipping me with the knowledge to have an impact on the world around me and to live out the Jesuit principles of a Boston College education." Brigid Rooney '17, Sustainability Analyst, CodeGreen Solutions

"My environmental studies minor taught me to approach all problems from multiple vantage points. This is especially critical at Ceres, where we work with companies, investors and policymakers on the largest sustainability challenges of our time." Christie Merino '16, Manager, Company Network, Ceres

"Thanks to the Environmental Studies program, I got to study, research, debate, and take action on environmental issues through the lens of science, law and policy, religion, economics, and sociology, preparing me for my sustainability career in the public sector." Katherine Walsh '08, Sustainability and Environmental Resources Manager, Boston Public Schools

I currently work at The Cadmus Group, an environmental consultancy firm, where I support two main contracts that work respectively with USAID and EPA. Throughout undergrad, I was uncertain of where my path would take me. I had a general idea I wanted to work in the private sector and applied to Cadmus. Now, I am working in a field that I didn’t know existed (environmental consulting) providing communications support to EPA and environmental analysis for USAID projects (and loving it!). Environmental Studies at BC has undoubtedly given me the skills to 1. Obtain my job and 2. Excel in my field. What stands out to me most are the small classes that were discussion-based. When evaluating projects for environmental compliance at work, I have to take a holistic approach to determine environmental and social risks. I learned this crucial skill through those conversation-based classes where we would discuss a relevant environmental issue from multiple perspectives.

B.A. Environmental Studies with a concentration in Political Science; Minor in Sociology

"After graduating from BC with a degree in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Food and Water Sustainability, I soon began working for Change is Simple, a STEM/sustainability education nonprofit, teaching kids about the environment, their impact on it, and ways they can change their behavior to help the planet. " Skye Fournier '19, Lead Educator, Change is Simple

“After graduating from BC, I enrolled in Harvard Law School and graduated with my J.D. in 2020. Graduating with a degree in Environmental Studies from Boston College provided me with the foundation to identify intersections between social and environmental issues. That foundation proved critical in my work for the Harvard Environmental Law Review where I had the opportunity to elevate scholarship that highlighted the strong overlap between social and environmental issues in the law, including issues such as racial and gender inequities in the design of disaster response systems. Furthermore, understanding the complexities of how policies concerning economics, technology, the environment, and society intersect promoted my critical thinking faculties in law school; allowing me to craft nuanced, persuasive arguments in class discussions and moot courts. After I take the Bar Exam this fall, I will begin working as an Associate at Winston & Strawn LLP in the litigation department of their Chicago office.” Alex Kontopoulos ‘17

"My job takes me to a wide range of ecosystems all over the world, from the temperate rainforests of Alaska, to the coral reefs of French Polynesia, and many points in between. The Environmental Studies program provided me with both the broad, systems level approach needed to understand these diverse ecologies and the specific, issues-driven dialogue that helps me teach about the threats they currently face." Alex Krowiak '15, Photo Instructor/Naturalist