Breadcrumb
Environmental Studies, B.A. | Class of
Kiya Villarreal
Sustainability Officer
Employer: North Coast Co-op
Job description: I work under the General Manager of the North Coast Cooperative and collaboratively with staff in all departments, management, and Board of Directors to develop and implement policies and procedures that promote environmental responsibility. I work to maintain transparency and achieve the objectives of the Strategic Plan, and host a monthly Earth Action Committee meeting and record and report out on monthly environmental and social benchmarks to all Co-op members.
About Kiya
Why did you choose this program?
I chose this program because it was applicable to a broad variety of careers and life paths.
How did this program prepare you for your job?
The ENST coursework and faculty, especially our beloved Dr. Ray, gave me the self-confidence and foundational education I longed for. The program taught me how to think, how to identify privileges and inequities, and how to bring a critical lens that prioritizes equity and access when policy planning. This primed me for working with a co-op that has identified social and environmental goals alongside their economic ones.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
The Environmental Studies program offered me the flexibility to expand on my existing interests while simultaneously educating me on subjects I would never have found without ENST.
What would you say to prospective students who are thinking about applying to this program?
The coursework has led me to interests and experiences that continue to serve me well both in my personal and professional life. A major in college doesn't define your identity of course but it certainly helps when a program like ENST broadens your understanding of the world and your fluid place within it.
Thankfully the learning and growing doesn't stop after graduation!