Panel to highlight alumni shaping climate solutions

The Career Connections Center is kicking off a semester packed with networking opportunities with a Career Exploration Week, Jan. 27 through Jan. 31, focused on sustainability, climate, and global change. Career Exploration Weeks are industry-specific themed events designed by the CCC to help students explore their interests, gain valuable insights, and connect with industry professionals through panels, seminars, or workshops. Students from any year or major can access advice and inspiration for navigating their future careers during the programs.

The sustainability, climate, and global change events are the first of four Career Exploration Weeks this semester and arrive ahead of Clark’s fall launch of its School of Climate, Environment, and Society.

The week includes a panel discussion with alumni in environment and sustainability roles on Jan. 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 202 of the Alumni and Student Engagement Center (ASEC). The event will feature alumni from diverse educational backgrounds, including environmental engineering and international development and social change.

“I hope students walk away inspired by the possibilities within sustainability, climate, and global change careers,” says Sawsan Berwaji, senior associate director of operations and communications at the CCC. “This panel is an opportunity to hear from professionals shaping solutions, and it’s a chance to see how their own passions and skills can contribute to critical global efforts.”

Attendees can expect to gain insights into the day-to-day realities and expectations of various careers, learn how panelists navigated their paths at Clark and beyond, and expand their professional networks.

“This panel is not only an opportunity to learn from professionals shaping innovative solutions in their fields but also a chance for students to envision how their own passions and skills can contribute to addressing critical global challenges,” says Melissa Alves, associate dean for student success and executive director of career readiness at the CCC.

Students can also look forward to additional events, such as the climate, sustainability, and global change employer pop-up on Jan. 29, from noon to 2 p.m. in the Higgins University Center, and a student internship panel on Jan. 30, from noon to 1 p.m.

By spotlighting these alumni who have successfully carved their niche in sustainability-related fields after Clark, the CCC aims to make unsure students feel more secure and equip them with practical know-how, Alves says.