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Environmental Studies, B.A. | Class of
Emma Stokes
Grants and Scholarships Manager
Employer: Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation
Job description: As Grants and Scholarships Manager at Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF), I work with a variety of programs and processes serving community members in the California counties of Humboldt, Trinity, Del Norte, as well as Curry, Oregon, and adjacent Tribal Lands. We focus grantmaking and program efforts to achieve our vision of a Thriving, Just, Healthy, and Equitable Region informed by four strategic goals: Racial Equity, a Just Economy, Thriving Families and Youth, and Healthy Ecosystems and Environments. Our organization is making significant organizational shifts to support this dynamic and growing region, which means my job responsibilities are also dynamic and flexible in order to nimbly shift to address the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.
About Emma
Why did you choose this program?
I chose Environmental Studies because I appreciated the interdisciplinary approach that the program takes to addressing environmental challenges while centering environmental and social justice. In school, I was always interested in many different subjects, and ENST allowed me to take classes in the hard sciences, economics, politics, philosophy, Native American studies, etc. I was able to explore all sorts of ideas, and meet and build relationships with folks from a wide variety of backgrounds with different interests.
How did this program prepare you for your job?
My job is very dynamic and my experience in the ENST program with its interdisciplinary design prepared me to easily shift between many different tasks, ideas, and projects. My role also requires an ability to think critically and understand how systems impact those involved in them, as well as how to best pursue equitable outcomes. I think those developing those skills were a fundamental part of moving through the ENST program and those skills have served me very well both personally and professionally.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
I think the most enjoyable and rewarding part of my experience in the ENST program was building deep relationships with my professors and the other members of my cohort. Such brilliant and interesting people are involved in this major, and I learned so much from my peers and professors. I've maintained strong personal and professional relationships with many of them and these relationships continue to bolster my life in so many amazing ways.
What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?
If you are a student who is looking for a community on campus, ENST is a great community to be a part of. If you are a student who is interested in learning across disciplines, ENST provides opportunities to "choose your own adventure" in ways a lot of other programs do not. Take advantage of all of the cool stuff related to the ENST program like CCAT!