At the UNH Sustainability Institute, through our various community networks, and the Changemaker Collaborative (our partnership with the Paul College of Business and Economics and the Carsey School of Public Policy) we aspire to help support a “sustainability ecosystem” – a rich network of individuals with shared values and goals who span sectors and industries, a beneficial web of expertise, mentors, collaborators, and partners whose whole is greater than the sum of the parts when it comes to advancing sustainability.
It’s a powerful idea that’s hard to demonstrate in practical terms because of the complex and ephemeral nature of networks. I recently attended the New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility (NHBSR) 2022 Sustainability Awards and as I reflect on the evening, it was wonderful to see this concept of a sustainability ecosystem in action. It was the first in-person event for many of us in two years, and so it was especially meaningful to reconnect with so many UNH students, alumni and partners. All of these people and organizations are driven by a passion to advance a sustainable future, and each are making their own unique contributions. It’s inspiring when we think about their individual contributions, but all the more inspiring to be together in one place – where the web of relationships and synergies was apparent. We loved seeing the collective impact and potential power of this growing ecosystem of UNH changemakers so tangibly!
Learn more about the people we were excited to catch up with at the event!
- NHBSR is itself a powerful sustainability network of businesses in the state, and is led by Executive Director, UNH alumna Michelle Veasey (UNH G’04, Environmental Education). Michelle and her team at NHBSR have been extraordinary partners to our work at UNH over the years, collaborating on many programs and events, helping connect current students with the broader business community.
- Our congratulations to Colleen Spear (UNH ’21 Business) who was one of the honorees in the Student Change Agent category for her work to advance sustainable business in the state during her time at UNH working with businesses such as Lonza, Jack’s Pizza, and Richardson Media through our Summer Sustainability Fellowship and the B Impact Clinic.
- We were also so proud of some of recent alumni and current students who were all nominated in the Student Change Agent category: Elizabeth Cain (’21, Environmental Conservation & Sustainability, now Sustainability Consultant at G360Link); Masami Dustin (’21, Business, now Strategic Projects Coordinator at FamilyAid Boston); and Jules Good (’21, Music Performance, G’21 Public Policy, and now Founder and Consulting Lead, Neighborhood Access.)
- The current program assistants for our B Impact Clinic also joined us: Nate Richard, (UNH ’22, Finance) and Katie Rascoe (’22 Business & Sustainability Dual major) who was also a nominee for the Student Change Agent Award. Thanks Katie and Nate for all you are doing to help take our B Impact Clinic from strength to strength!
- Mikey Pasciuto (UNH ’21, Mechanical Engineering and Sustainability Dual Major) was nominated in the Environment category for his work as Co-Founder of Scrapp LLC, a recycling consultancy centered around a mobile app dedicated to tackling contamination in the recycling stream. During his participation in our summer Sustainability Fellowship last summer, Mikey worked alongside NHBSR to help develop their new Climate Challenge, launching this Spring, in partnership with the UNH Sustainability Institute.
- It was great to reconnect with Jessica Clancy (UNH ’22, Environmental Conservation and Sustainability, now Sustainability Analyst at Timberland). Jessica first worked with Timberland during her participation in our Summer Sustainability Fellowship in 2019, and thanks to her amazing work, was offered a full-time role with them in 2021. She works with Zack Angelini (UNH ’14, Environmental Engineering, G’16, now Senior Environmental Stewardship Manager at Timberland), who also landed his role after completing a UNH Sustainability Fellowship with Timberland in 2016.
- We missed seeing Dan Clapp (UNH ’00, Environmental Conservation) who is a Co-Founder of ReVision Energy, who were honored for their “Systemic Leadership” addressing challenges and using them to cultivate opportunities for our state, but really enjoyed catching up with Co-Founder, Phil Coupe. ReVision is also a long-time partner to our work at UNH, hosting summer Sustainability Fellows, among other things.
- Theresa Conn (UNH’14, Environmental Conservation, ‘15G Business) is the Director of Sustainability at Nemo Equipment, who was honored for their focus on building community and keeping it inclusive. The company focuses on tearing down barriers during a time when we desperately need access to adventure. Congratulations Theresa! Sorry you couldn’t be at the event. We missed you, but were cheering you on!
- It was awesome to reconnect with Bryan Dwyer, (UNH ’19 Community & Environmental Planning, ’07 Community Leadership) Director of Utility Programs at Resilient Buildings Group, Inc. He will be hosting and mentoring one of our 2022 Sustainability Fellows, a current UNH undergraduate student. (Bryan is also married to Alexis Dwyer, our new Program and Network Coordinator at the UNH Sustainability Institute)
- And finally, it was wonderful to see Brigid Murray (UNH ’96 Sociology; G’01 Sociology), currently Vested for Growth Investor at the NH Community Loan Fund. Always fantastic to see you Brigid, and thanks for all the important work you are doing to help facilitate flows of capital to make NH a more sustainable and equitable state!
Here's to the future impact of UNH’s growing network of sustainability changemakers! As a public university, we take our obligation to ensuring a sustainable future immensely seriously. This not only comes from UNH’s work to graduate thousands of young changemakers, individuals who are equipped with the necessary skills and courage to lead sustainable solutions in the future, but also to help lead research that is timely and relevant to solving pressing sustainability challenges, and to be a partner to businesses, municipalities and non-profits in the state of New Hampshire (and beyond) to be a resource and help support their efforts to advance sustainability in their organizations.
