Alyssa
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Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability majoring in听Sustainable Business, Enterprise, and Economics
Hometown: Ashburton
What inspired you to choose Social and Environmental Sustainability at UC?
I've always had a massive passion and deep care for the environment. My family is big into nature and I grew up around the water. I wanted to use my career to make an impact, and I thought this degree would be perfect for that.
The third-year internship really stood out for the opportunity to get some real-world experience. The degree鈥檚 interdisciplinary approach combines different courses through different schools, which lets you look at sustainability in all these different ways, from scientific and indigenous perspectives to philosophical perspectives and more.
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How has that helped shape your career aspirations?
You usually hear about sustainability from a single perspective, but they actually integrate so that you can use all of them to achieve a common goal. It鈥檚 opened my eyes and a lot of doors for potential career paths. I want to make the biggest impact in business and get people to think about things in a more circular motion with reusing and recycling.
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What was your favourite hands-on experience?
During one field trip we had a noho marae, where we heard from entrepreneurs about supply chains and sustainable business. We also went around Christchurch seeing everything people are doing for sustainability. My biggest takeaway was realising there are people doing things right here in my community. It was very inspirational.
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What are your classmates and lecturers like?
It's a relatively small cohort, so we鈥檝e all grown quite close.听
The lecturers are amazing. They鈥檙e so professional, they've got so many achievements in their fields, and they really care about teaching and inspiring us.
It鈥檚 been easy to connect with everyone because we all have the same passion for the environment, and we're all doing this degree for the same reason. It's not just a way to make a career; it's a way to make a change.
How has receiving a scholarship benefitted you?
Getting a scholarship has made my first year a lot easier. The financial support is very helpful, but many UC scholarships come with so much more, like career workshops and events to connect with peers. There's even a mentorship programme through my specific scholarship, and I ended up being connected with someone from Environmental Science Research.
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What do you like most about UC?
It has such a modern campus. Everything's close together. There鈥檚 so much听extra assistance, and it feels like the university genuinely cares听about you and your education.
I鈥檇 heard so many good things about the student life, which have all听turned out to be true. The culture is very lively. Everybody is open minded听and willing to try new things. It's really easy to make friends and there鈥檚听always something going on.
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Have you joined any clubs?
UC has a great club culture. There's honestly something for everyone. I听joined EnviroSoc and have gone to everything from their events to study听nights, which are really helpful. I also joined CUBA because I love surfing,听and they have really cool events like midnight surfing.
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What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love spending time at the beach, which has played a big part in my听passion for the environment. I started surfing in year nine, and living in听Christchurch has made it a lot easier to surf whenever I want. The breaks听at Sumner are tight. It鈥檚 great surf. You'll see so many students out there听on a hot day.
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What do you like most about being a student in Christchurch?
It has such a range of things to do. You'd never get bored in Christchurch.听It's got the city, shopping, nightlife, surfing, mountain biking. And it's such听a beautiful place to study. Christchurch is also full of nature. It's a great听reminder of what I'm studying for and what I'm trying to protect.
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Did you live in a hall your first year?
Yes! It was an awesome experience. There鈥檚 always someone to hang out听with or ask for help. I was a cultural leader for my hall, which meant I took听care of cultural events and performances. It was another great way to get听involved and meet more people.
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Do you do any extracurricular activities related to sustainability?
I run a sustainability blog in my own time. It鈥檚 a lot of fun because it鈥檚听something I really care about, and it ties in well with my studies because听there have been things I鈥檝e learned that have sparked ideas for the blog.
Learning about sustainability at UC creates all these new ideas and听thoughts that I鈥檓 excited to share.
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How have you seen yourself grow since you started at UC?
My UC journey has changed me for the better. I've gained a new sense of confidence in myself and my abilities. I know that I am capable of following my heart and that this is the right path for me.
