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| Current Sustainable Business Students |
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Ann Erhardt is a continuing education student approaching her last year in the Aquinas College Sustainable Business Program. She was born and raised in Grand Rapids with a Catholic upbringing and previously earned an Aquinas B.A. degree with a dual major in business administration and comunications. She has been employed in a variety of conventional business positions in West Michigan. After enrolling in the Indutrial Design Program at Kendall College, Ann grew interested in design as it relates to business and sustainability. Ann was introduced to sustainable business in a Kendall design course taught by Kelley Losey of Cascade Engineering and Gayle DeBruyn, an adjunct faculty member of Kendall College. |
After working in conventional business, Ann felt unfulfilled. She began asking herself, “How am I contributing to all of my surroundings - life inside and outside of the company’s operations?” Ann has now learned how business can be financially successful while positively contributing to both the natural world and the human community. Upon graduation, Ann is eager to combine her previous business experience and her sustainable business expertise. Ann is interested in all areas of sustainable business but is most attracted to the social component of the triple top-line. “My professional experience with human resources,” as Ann explains, “has taught me that companies are not acknowledging the extreme importance of their employees or the connection between a successful enterprise and engaged employees.”
When asked how she personally incorporates sustainability, Ann endeavors to make intelligent and informed choices in all aspects of her life. Ann composts, recycles, volunteers, and shops locally in her community and clearly not only ‘talks the talk’ but also ‘walks the walk’. She also feels that community education is very important. She shares her knowledge of sustainable business with anyone who is interested. Ann is continually surprised by the lack of basic understanding of sustainable business. >>See Ann's interview on WOOD TV 8 |
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Roland VandenBroeck graduated from Aquinas College in December 2007 with a major in Sustainable Business. He grew up in Gross Pointe, MI with two younger siblings. What brought Roland to sustainable businesses is the challenge to accomplish things the right way. Roland hopes to someday start his own sustainable solutions consulting company that uses the triple top-line (TTL) approach. Roland believes his sustainable business background will provide a competitive advantage over more conventional environmental consulting companies.
Roland has a special interest in sustainable auditing and believes a systemic process that monitors the production of TTL value is important. He believes consistent and |
appropriate auditing justifies and supports sustainable practices. Roland is also interested in architecture because he believes many solutions to environmental, social, and economic problems lie in design.
Finally, Roland sees sustainability as a lifestyle. “You can only gain from balancing your life,” he says. Roland feels it is important to balance the social, environmental, and economic factors of all corporate and personal lifestyle decisions. In the near future, Roland would like to move to San Diego and begin his career. Something that you may not know about Roland is that he enjoys designing and building lamps and furniture. |
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Carol Parsaca, a senior, transferred to Aquinas College from GRCC after learning about the Sustainable Business Program from her current boss at Innovative Practice Concepts. She grew up in Grand Rapids and was delighted to find this intriguing course of study in her hometown. Carol believes that even with the variety of challenges that businesses face today, sustainability deserves to be a high priority for industry. She adds that sustainability is not just an idea; it has real life applications and is a step in the right direction for humanity. When asked why she is interested in sustainability, Carol returned the question asking, “Why not be interested in sustainability?” With that, Carol believes the Aquinas Sustainable Business program offers a cutting-edge approach that provides many opportunities to make a quality of life difference. |
Sustainable design concepts particularly interest Carol. She believes that it is important for everyone to regularly contribute to a sustainable world community. In addition to sustainable building design and building local economies, Carol is also interested in the education portion of sustainable business. She thinks we need to teach children about sustainability, but we must also keep in mind that children have a lot to offer the movement as well. Children inspire Carol; she appreciates their honesty, innocence and candor.
Carol has made sustainability a part of her life. Carpooling and shopping locally are just two ways Carol improves life on the planet. Applying what she has learned at her job, Innovative Practice Concepts is working toward becoming a paperless organization. Carol enjoys fine dining and traveling. By experiencing different cultures through her travels, she brings home new sustainable ideas and practices prevalent in other cultures. Durable shopping bag use is just one nugget Carol has garnered in her European travels. |
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Mariel Borgman, a senior in the Sustainable Business program, grew up with her parents and younger brother in Alma, Michigan. Her mother worked at a recycling center as an educator and introduced Mariel to composting by bringing home her "worm bin." This type of exposure instilled a sense of appreciation for the natural world at an early age and developed her interest for sustainability, which grew further after taking an environmental biology class here at Aquinas. The last unit of that class emphasized sustainability and helped Mariel realize that sustainability just makes sense. Mariel finds that she is naturally a comprehensivist and prefers a multidisciplinary program that focuses upon the myriad of interrelationships in life. She finds that sustainable business is a perfect fit for her.
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During the spring of 2007, Mariel participated in a semester long study abroad program in Santa Ana, Costa Rica and came home with an enhanced perspective on life. She studied the language, culture, and history of the region, and visited one of the country's indigenous tribes. Mariel also participated in the replanting and reforestation of various indigenous plants and trees of Costa Rica and cultivated an interest for improving local economies and ecosystems. The social benefits component of the Triple Top Line is of particular interest to Mariel and she looks forward to developing intelligent business strategies that improve this often overlooked part of sustainable business.
Mariel’s mother provides a strong female role model for her. She is a “crazy nature woman” who has a strong connection to the natural world and to people as well. She is 4-H educator and leads a youth mentoring program. Because of her mother, Mariel is aware of the importance of education and recognizes the importance of beginning the formal education process in the best possible way. An interesting fact about Mariel is that she is a vegetarian, but she can eat two whole lobsters in one setting! |
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Colin Knue transferred his sophomore year to Aquinas College specifically for the Sustainable Business Program and is currently a senior. “Sustainable Business integrates both science and business,” Colin says, “and I have an interest in both areas.” Colin plans on applying his science expertise to business, which he believes will give him a competitive advantage over the average business person lacking scientific experience. “This idea of applying the Triple Top-Line to business is new and upcoming. I intend to further this shift in business practices.”
Along with Sustainable Business, Colin is also studying math and Spanish. Colin is currently working as a marketing and education intern for the Center for Sustainability at
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Aquinas, which includes a responsibility for educating the entire campus population about the principles of Sustainable Business. In his free time, he enjoys reading, camping, backpacking, fishing and kayaking.
Colin grew up in Farrysburg, Michigan with two brothers and one younger sister. He is an advocate for the natural environment, which plays a part in his passion for Sustainable Business. Colin is specifically interested in studying reusable energy, social capital, and water resource issues. Colin lives a simple life - he plans to work hard, but also will be leaving time to just chill and read books. He incorporates sustainability into his life in a variety of ways such as riding his bike or walking nearly everywhere he goes. Something most people do not know about Colin is that he has broken the same collar bone four times! |
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Peter Gole grew up in Hastings, Mich. and is the youngest of six siblings. In high school, his focus moved from computers to business to environmental studies and back to business. That said, it is no surprise that Peter was attracted to the Sustainable Business Program at Aquinas College. As a child, Peter spent most of his time outdoors cultivating a connection to the natural world. Today not only does Peter incorporate sustainability into his life, he plans on integrating the Triple Top-Line approach into his place of employment after he graduates.
Peter’s adventurous personality allows him to try just about anything; from eating exotic foods to climbing mountains. During this past summer, Peter traveled to Alaska to
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participate in a two-week field course titled Resource Management in National Parks and had the adventure of the lifetime.
He incorporates sustainability into his life by continually examining how his actions affect the future outcome. He is mindful of what he eats, where his food comes from. Peter now leads a simple, yet fulfilling lifestyle. Lastly, Peter is known for his habit of helping any of his friends out and is always willing to take time out of his busy day to do so. |
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Benjamin VanGessel is a senior at Aquinas College and is majoring in math, environmental studies, and sustainable business. He comes from a Dutch family of four and grew up just north of Grand Rapids. Ben is interested in sustainability for a number of reasons. “It is the next logical and ethical step and I think it is necessary, if not for human survival, a necessary step for human evolution. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do this thing and business leaders need to learn this. I want to impart this understanding into the business realm.”
Ben is particularly drawn to the emerging concepts of sustainable design. “If you look at our society in a historical context,” Ben argues, “most of our problems are design-related
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which is precisely why sustainable design is something I am vert interested in pursuing.” Ben also loves the outdoors. He takes a preservationist perspective on the natural world while at the same time he is very interested in sustainable community design.
VanGessel is a quite unique individual. He builds his own furniture and collects things from the trash to construct his masterpieces. Nearly everything in his room, he built. Ben incorporates sustainability into his life in various ways, such as routinely biking, buying local, and remaining mindful of the results of his actions. |
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Chris Van Horn transferred two years ago to the Sustainable Business program from Grand Rapids Community College. He grew up in Jenison with his parents and two brothers. His oldest brother is an accounting student at Grand Valley State University and his younger brother is a freshman at Grand Rapids Community College. Chris wrestled for four years at Jenison High School and was captain of the team his senior year. After high school, Chris was attracted to the field of business and set his sites in that direction. After discovering Sustainable Business at Aquinas College, Chris thought the program would be a perfect fit for him.
Chris is particularly interested in social capital and community building strategies as |
well as the practice of buying and selling locally produces goods and services. His father has been a strong influence and has taught Chris to work hard and practice discipline. His father started his own successful local wood finishing company and demonstrates firsthand the benefits of entrepreneurship, taking acceptable risks, and working through adversity.
One thing that you may not know about Chris is that he is adventurous. He loves to try new and slightly dangerous things. Kayaking, rock climbing, and backpacking are some of the many outdoor activities that are of interest to him.
Chris integrates sustainability into his life in a variety of ways. He does not own a car and biking is his primary source of transportation. Chris is the secretary for Aquinas’ newest club - Students Striving for Sustainability (S3). This offers a way for him to get other students involved and interested in sustainability. Furthermore, Chris is conscious of his impact on the environmental and works hard to make others aware as well. |
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Bryant Lapres is a junior in the Sustainable Business program. He began his career at Aquinas College in pre-med, but has recently decided to focus strictly on Sustainable Business. Bryant spent much of his childhood outdoors. His grandmother owns 9-acres of land and Bryant, with his two younger sisters, took every opportunity to play and explore outside. Growing up in Muskegon only three minutes away from Lake Michigan, he spent a great amount of time at the lake shore. His extensive time surrounded by nature helped set in place his appreciation for the natural world and for environmental issues.
Bryant is interested in sustainability for a number of reasons. It simply makes sense to |
him and it is something that he enjoys learning about and perusing. “It is the way of the future - it is going to bring us to where we need to be,” Bryant explains. Furthermore, sustainability is new, innovative, and exciting and Bryant is eager to be a part of it! His particular area of interest is sustainable design. In high school, Bryant took a mechanical and architectural design course, which may have helped set the stage for his initial interest in sustainable business.
In his downtime, Bryant enjoys wood working. He takes pleasure in planning and designing things such as nightstands and birdhouses. Last summer, he worked long hours in a bowling ball factory, and though it was a good experience, he says that he would never do it again.
Bryant incorporates sustainability into his life in a number of ways. Among many other things, he makes sure to always have green plants in his dorm room, and when ever possible, he uses compact florescent lights. Bryant prefers walking and drives his car only when necessary. Some day he would like to one day own his own business that is one-hundred percent sustainable. He is also considering a career in sustainable business consulting. |
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Michelle Miscisin grew up on a farm in Sterling, Michigan with a younger brother and two older sisters. She worked many summers as a Girl Scout camp counselor. Michelle has spent lots of time outdoors playing in fields, scuba diving, backpacking and camping. Over the years, Michelle has developed a particular appreciation for nature and the environmental component of the Sustainable Business Program initially drew her to this major. Michelle is interested in sustainable land management as well as sustainable management of our fisheries. She is particularly interested in the Maine lobster industry.
Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the U.S. Girl Scouts, has been a life-long role model for Michelle. Juliette brought girls of all backgrounds into the out-of-doors, giving them |
the opportunity to develop self-reliance and resourcefulness. She encouraged girls to prepare not only for traditional homemaking, but also for possible future roles as professional women - in the arts, sciences and business - and for active citizenship outside the home. Michelle admires Low’s determination and was also inspired by her parents who always encourage her to succeed. Michelle says they have support her decisions, even if they didn’t agree with all of her reasons for them.
Something you may not know about Michelle is that she is obsessed with pirates! When asked about her favorite music, the first thing that comes to mind is Girl Scout camp songs.
Michelle incorporates sustainability into her life in a number of ways. When making a decision, she consciously considers all of her options and chooses the most sustainable alternative. She buys locally-grown food, conserves electricity, and drives her car only when necessary. Michelle has begun an education program at her Girl Scout camp, talking to the campers about basic environmental awareness issues. To her, education is one of the most important factors for getting people involved in the natural world. Her goal is to eventually start a high adventure girls’ camp to offer opportunities they otherwise would not have the chance to do. Michelle also plans on earning a Ph.D. |
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Becky Brown, a junior at AQ grew up in Lapeer, Michigan. In addition to her parents, Becky was raised with two younger brothers, Greg and Chris. Living next door to a school offered many opportunities to play outside. Her family loves to camp and often spends family vacations enjoying the great outdoors. Becky’s mom loves all things living. She has worked with horses, was once a nurse, and after receiving her Master Gardener Certificate, she spent considerable time working at a greenhouse. She is currently working with the Conservation District in Lapeer. Her dad works for a manufacturing company that makes parts for solar panels. Becky is a self-declared “daddy’s girl.”
With their accomplishments and work ethic, both of Becky’s parents are sources of |
inspiration. Rachel Carson is also an inspirational figure. She has read a lot of Carson’s literary works as well as biographies written about her. “Rachel Carson,” Becky proclaims, “had everything going against her, but she was driven and determined, which led her to success. She was relentless.”
Something interesting about Becky that you may not already know is that she set weightlifting records at her high school. Also, you may or may not know that she is “everyone’s favorite Aquinas dormitory resident assistant.”
The Sustainable Business program is what drew Becky to Aquinas College. “When you learn about the things we are doing wrong, how can you not want to do something about it?” For her, the SB program offers a way to make a difference. She is interested in the larger concept of sustainability but focuses her attention to local issues in Michigan. She sees potential for our state to rally from the economic struggles it is now facing, and she hopes to contribute to the solution.
Becky incorporates sustainability into her life in a number of ways. She loves to spread the word about sustainable practices. Getting people interested and aware of alternative opportunities is something she loves to do. She also works vigorously on proposals to better increase sustainability on campus. Last but not least, Becky LOVES her bike and uses every opportunity she has to ride instead of drive! |
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Ali Svendsen grew up outside of Kalamazoo, Mich. in the small town of Mattawan. Her home is situated on a small lake and Ali has always loved to be outside in the sunshine. When she was younger, Ali planned to become a police officer and never imagined earning a academic degree in an environmentally related field. However, coming to Aquinas College and discovering the SB program motivated her to reconsider her professional direction. Ali says SB is a unique program that will allow her to truly make a difference in the quality of life on Earth. She is most interested in using the concept of biomimicry in facility design and her professional goal is to operate a company that builds and refurnishes environmentally intelligent homes. |
Ali’s dad has been an inspiring role model in her life. He is open-minded to the non-traditional concepts of sustainable business and has been a source of encouragement for Ali, supporting her decision to major in Sustainable Business. Ali endeavors to cultivate her father’s work ethic and business prowess in her own professional career.
Two things that you may not know about Ali is that she is a certified group exercise instructor and one of her favorite recreational activities is fishing. This summer Ali is enrolled in an Aquinas College/Oklahoma State University field course that will take place in the national parks of Alaska and she plans on remaining there for a time after the course and get in some quality fly fishing!
Ali says it is the little things that matter when incorporating sustainability into our personal lives. Some of the simple things that she does to live in an eco-friendly manner is air drying her clothes, patronizing locally-owned businesses, and bringing her own bags to the grocery store. |
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Vicki Gless is a senior student in the Sustainable Business Program at Aquinas College. She graduated from Kelloggsville High School in 1971 and received a Loutit Foundation Grant that allowed her to continue her academic studies at Grand Valley State University and receive a certification as a clinical dietician and food service supervisor. She was married in 1977 and has raised two children with her husband Dave. In 1984, Vicki enrolled in the Interior Design Program at Western Michigan University but after 3 years her increasing family and professional responsibilities forced her to end her pursuit of her bachelor’s degree.
Vicki’s sustainability epiphany occurred almost 15 years ago during a National Public |
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| Radio broadcast featuring well known sustainability advocate Paul Hawken. The interview resonated so deeply with Vicki that she purchased and read Hawken's book The Ecology of Commerce and she soon committed to be part of the solution suggested by the author. Vicki owns an interior design business and she entered the SB program at Aquinas College in the fall semester of 2004 with the intention of improving her interior designer compency but her passion for a variety of sustainable business components has motivated Vicki to keep her professional options open. |
| Vicki says she has been inspired by the students and professors involved in the Sustainable Business program at Aquinas College. She enjoys incorporating sustainability principles into her professional and personal life and sharing what has worked for her. She says the typical response to her new advocacy is, "Oh, I never thought of it that way - that's a good idea." Vicki attributes her new found ability and confidence to spread her expertise to her educational experience at Aquinas College. Vicki’s other interests include reading, spending time with friends,enjoying art, and cultivating flowers. Vicki also enjoys traveling and has a long list of destinations she plans to someday see and experience! |
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Deborah Eid, a continuing education sustainable business student was born in New Jersey and grew up in Minneapolis, MN. . At the age of 18, Deborah landed in Porto Alegre, Brazil for a post high school exchange program. For four years she traveled back and forth to Latin America while working on a degree in Spanish and Portuguese literature from the University of Minnesota. As a child of the seventies, she was devoted to alternative transportation and picking up litter. Her Brazilian friends’ would respond to this devotion by saying there were much bigger ecological problems resulting from American industry and modern automobile use. Their comments challenged Deborah to start thinking about the system we live in. She also became passionate about social justice issue, the gap between the rich and the poor being the most obvious. |
Returning to Minnesota, Deborah wanted to make a difference and found a home for her advocacy interests in the Migrant Farm Worker Legal Aid program. From 1980-1986, she worked as a paralegal in two poverty law offices protecting farm workers from pesticide application, developing her awareness of public health issues in the farm industry. Deborah made another move soon thereafter to work as an organizer for public sector unionized employees; janitors, secretaries and child care workers in Chicago.
Her relocation to Grand Rapids 10 years ago found her searching for a way to synthesize all of her passions. Deborah began working here at AQ as a Spanish instructor, when she stumbled upon a workshop presentation in spring of 2005 about the SB program. She enrolled in her first SB class the next day, and will complete the 18 credit certificate in December.
In her personal life, Deborah is committed to using green products, avoiding the use of pesticides, shopping Local First, buying organic and locally grown produce at the farmers market, and her work as a massage therapist in the alternative health care field. She envisions working in Brazil again in her 70s on urban design and public health issues from a sustainability perspective. Deb has three children, a gecko, a dog, and a cat. One thing you may not know about Deborah Eid is that she belongs to a family folk band called Kinsfolk. Check out their web site at www.kinsfolk.org/. |
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| Current
Sustainable Business Internships |
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| Ann Erhardt - Interface Fabric, Grand Rapids, researching domestic options for fabric takeback system |
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| Bryant LaPres -
Fishbeck, Thompson, Car & Huber Inc., Grand Rapids, as LEED Project Assistant |
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| Shanna Olson -
West Michigan Environmental Action Council, rain gardens andcommunity education |
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| Tarin Foster - Allied Waste, Jenison, MI, waste stream assesment: researching options for landfill diversion |
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| Catherine O'Brien - Bronson Methedist Hospital, Kalamazoo, cost/benefit analysis for alternative energy |
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| Logan Nuberg - Pryor Inc., California, registering tracts of the Gualala River Forest and the Garcia River Forest forests in northern California for carbon credits. |
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| Recent
Sustainable Business Program Graduates |
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Megan Cramer, graduated in May '07 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Business with a secondary concentration in environmental studies. Megan grew up in Coopersville, Michigan as the youngest of three sisters. She began her higher education at Grand Rapids Community College with an interest in geography. Her grandmother, mother, and sister all attended AQ and Megan decided to continue the tradition. She enjoys traveling and practicing sustainability on an individual and a community level. When asked why she is interested in sustainability Megan says, “Sustainability just makes sense to me. I can see the whole picture—everything is connected. I know the importance of the natural world and I am also aware of the fragility of it. I want to assist other people in acquiring an understanding of the natural world's role in our prosperity.” |
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Erin Cramer, Megan’s sister, has influenced, inspired, and encouraged her toward courageously making personal improvements and changes that have enhanced her quality of life.
Megan challenges herself to ‘live like she is camping.’ This translates to living simply and intelligently using natural resources. She prefers to walk to destinations and uses her car only when necessary. Megan is thoughtful of her lifestyle choices and works to incorporate principles of sustainability throughout her life. For those who do not know Megan, her smile lights up a room and sets a friendly tone. One private part of Megan’s life that she shares is often, when she gets home after a long day, she will pop on a CD and happily dance around the house. |
| Upon graduation, Megan relocated to Lanesboro, Minnesota, where she is currently employed by Eagle Bluff Environmental Education Center as a naturalist and educator. |
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Jessica Zahn, a May 2007 graduate, began valuing the environment at a very young age, largely because her parents work in environmental engineering and environmental advocacy fields. The activism of her parents and the generosity of her grandparent have been a major inspiration for Jessica throughout her life. Not surprisingly, she focuses her attention on the environmental portion of the “triple bottom line”. The social and economical aspects are no less important, Jessica explains, but she is simply more inclined to concentrate on environmental health.
Jessica transferred from Grand Valley State University in the fall of 2005 to begin the Sustainable Business Program at Aquinas. While connecting with the entire program, |
she particularly appreciates how the major provides opportunities for local communities to live in a sustainable manner and see those efforts translate into a positive effect on a global scale.
Jessica incorporates sustainability into her life on many different levels. For example, supporting local food producers is particularly important to Jessica and her family. They are active members of a community supported agriculture (CSA) program in which local farmers sell fresh produce directly to local people. CSAs contribute toward durable local economies and retain more economic wealth inside the local economy.
Jessica interned at Metro Health Hospital working on various Quality/Outcomes Management projects during the summer of 2007. At the termination of her internship, an offer was extended to Jessica which essentially translated her internship duties into a part-time position. Jessica has accepted this position and is currently assisting Metro in transitioning to the new hospital. |
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Lara (Fulton) Webster, a May 2007 graduate, grew up in Ludington, Michigan with two younger brothers and one younger sister. Her mother owns a dance studio and so consequently, Lara grew up dancing ever since she could walk. Her dad is also self-employed and he installs waterproof deck systems and insulation. In the spring semester of her junior year, Lara had an amazing time studying abroad in France.
Nature has always played an important role in Lara’s life growing up as a child. The only time she and her siblings were allowed to stay inside was if they were sick or if it was raining, otherwise they were outside until dark. Lara feels that due to her early connection with nature, she now has a much deeper appreciation of the natural world. |
Her particular area of interest focuses on localizing our current food systems. Lara feels the transition to a more localized food system is necessary to build sustainable communities. Her dream is to own an all organic café with environmentally intelligent design that will allow patrons to purchase an organic meal in a healthy and vibrant setting.
Lara sees incorporating sustainability in daily life as one of her most rewarding challenges. She believes it takes regular daily effort to continue progressing towards sustainability. Today, Lara brings her own bags to the grocery store and attributes this habit to a particular experience in France. After returning to her host home one day with common plastic shopping bags, she received a lecture on the importance of reusing the bags. Lara also supports green consumer products such as green cleaners as and, when available, buys local, organic produce. |
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Liz Ivkovich graduated in May of 2007, earning a bachelor's degree in both Sustainable Business and International Studies. Liz grew up in Horton, Michigan. During her undergraduate studes, she spent a semester in Nepal caring for the elderly and plans to return in the future. Her mother is a music professor and her dad is an engineer and Liz says her parents have always stressed the value of an education in her family that includes one brother and two sisters.
Liz is currently employed in Grand Rapids at Pigrim Manor, a facility for the elderly, where she directs the transition to sustainable practices. |
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Josh Miller graduated in 2006 with a B.S. in Sustainable Business and a second major concentration area of Environmental Studies. He grew up in the nearby town of Rockford and graduated from Belding High School. During his years at Aquinas, Josh was an accomplished athlete achieving All-Conference, All-Regional, and Academic All-American status on the men’s cross country team. He also distinguished himself academically and graduated magna cum laude in December.
Josh completed his internship at Sustainable Research Group (SRG) of Grand Rapids in the fall of 2006, where he conducted research supporting the Michigan Mercury Switch Program, alternative energy technologies, and the BIFMA furniture sustainability standard |
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initiative. Upon completion of the SRG position, Josh began a year-long internship at Metro Health Hospital. His primary responsibilities at Metro included internal education and marketing for the employee carpool program, bio-based cafeteria product research, and general grant writing.
In December 2006, Josh was hired as the Sustainability Coordinator for Spectrum Health of West Michigan. Responsibilities include managing the organization’s comprehensive environmental management system, overseeing collection and analysis of hospital sustainability indicators, assessing management of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), and providing internal sustainable business education and training to Spectrum's 13,000+ employee workforce. |
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Kate Luce graduated from Aquinas in May 2006 with a B.S. in Sustainable Business and Environmental Studies. During the fall of her senior year, Kate spent a semester in San Francisco, where she interned with a web-based re-use company called IReuse. During her internship, she helped divert landfill waste by developing marketing campaigns, and creating and editing content for the IReuse’s website.
Currently, Kate works in East Lansing for an environmental consulting firm called Entrix, where she is employed as an Assistant Staff Scientist. Entrix is a national company renowned for work in natural resource management, and environmental risk assessment. |
Her contributions include organizing data from laboratory and fieldstudies for projects concerning toxicity levels found in organisms, as well as editing material for summary reports that are circulated to clients and the EPA. Kate is also responsible for performingliterature searches that assist in research for consulting projects,
andkeeping the office archives updated. Soon after her arrival, Kate wasalso given the opportunity to head recycling efforts in the office. |
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Melissa Cunningham graduated from Aquinas College in May 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sustainable Business as well as a minor in Spanish. She completed an internship in the district office of U.S. Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers.
Melissa Cunningham is now employed as the Guest Services Coordinator for the new Saint Mary’s Southwest Campus. Her duties include managing the customer service/security office, assistant to the director of the facility, and first contact for all plant operational issues. Melissa attends weekly meetings that review the updates/progress of the LEED Silver certification for the new facility. During a typical work week, Melissa also gives tours of the new facility to various community groups. |
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Jessica
Eimer graduated in December 2005 with a B.S.
in sustainable business, environmental studies, and geography.
During her last semester at Aquinas, Jessica interned
at Metro Health Hospital where she organized an internal
carpooling program for hospital employees. The program
will make it relatively easy for employees to locate and
contact potential commuters/ride share partners and provide
incentives (paid for by a Michigan State Energy Office
grant) for active carpoolers.
In January, Jessica was hired as the Program Director
for the Center
for Sustainability at Aquinas College (C4S). She will
be active in our newly launched campus sustainability
initiative by organizing and managing student involvement,
assisting in conducting a |
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and supporting the internal suggestion submission process.
Jessica will also help organize conferences on campus,
continue to promote the sustainable business program and
the Center for Sustainability at Aquinas College in the
community, help maintain the web site for C4S and the
sustainable business program, and supervise student involvement
in the Center. |
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Jennifer Carlson graduated in May 2006 with a B.S in Sustainable Business. She completed her first internship with MIA, Inc. where
she lobbied for Michigan legislation to implement much
needed social programs for low-income senior citizens.
Jennifer then completed a second internship as a marketing assistant
at StelterPartners of Grand Rapids and now works for Cycle-Safe, Inc. in Ada, Mich. |
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Leslee Rohs graduated
from Aquinas in May 2005 with a B.S. in environmental
studies and history as well has a dual minor in sustainable
business and Spanish. Leslee worked for the New Products
Department at Crystal Flash Energy of Grand Rapids from
the fall of 2004 until September 2005. Her responsibilities
included product concept development for an alternative
boiler fuel. She also conducted informal market research
as well as environmental policy research, which involved
summarizing energy policy, environmental regulations,
and opportunities for grant funding. Crystal Flash Energy
has a history of promoting alternative energy sources
in West Michigan and her experiences there were invaluable. |
| In September of 2005, Leslee began
a challenging, full-time position in the district office
of U.S. Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers as a Constituent
Services Representative. Leslee serves as a liaison between
the residents of Michigan's third district and federal
government agencies. Leslee finds it rewarding to assist
individuals and local businesses in the community to solve
problems and communicate with federal agencies. |
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John Ebers graduated from Aquinas College in May 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He double majored in political science and environmental studies and began studying topics related to sustainable business through independent studies about a year before the SB program formed. John is particularly interested in the impact of business on the natural world and earned his sustainable business minor in the spring of 2005.
John first interned with Metro Health Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich. in the spring semester of 2004 and was subsequently hired for a full-time position after graduation. As the Sustainable Business Officer for Metro, John is responsible for the program management of a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS) that |
includes intelligent product procurement, waste elimination, energy and water improvement, and environmental health and quality programs for Metro. Notable projects include the LEED integration for the $150 million new Metro hospital in Wyoming, Mich. and project manager for Metro’s Storm Water Management Grant that is assisting with the funding of a 48,500 square foot vegetated roof on the administrative wing of the new hospital. |
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