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| Current Sustainable Business Students |
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A senior in the Sustainable Business Program and having grown up in downtown Grand Rapids, Stephanie Goorhouse is quite familiar with Aquinas College and other beautiful natural settings in the city. She recalls spending much of her free time outside as a child. Treating most days like a mini-vacation, she remembers collecting souvenirs from each adventure she went on. Her seashell collection and variety of unique rocks were evidence of her outdoor adventures.
Originally drawn to the nursing program at Aquinas, Stephanie soon realized that this particular profession was not a good fit for her. She considered a variety of different options and was eventually drawn to the Sustainable Business Program. After speaking |
| with Dr. Tueth and program junior Becky Brown, Stephanie felt the program would match her talents and interests. The more she learned, the more she found herself drawn to the program and today she is more passionate and committed to sustainable business than ever. |
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| Once graduated, Stephanie intends to work for systemic change in the agricultural and food industries. Stephanie believes that restructuring farming practices that are productive and healthy would be a great opportunity for her to significantly contribute to the movement. She is drawn to educational reform within the movement, especially on the elementary school level. Stephanie is also very active in campus clubs and organizations - not only is she the president of Environmental Political Interactive Change Club, she is a member of Students Striving for Sustainability, and the Student Senate. One thing you may not know about Stephanie is that she has always been very interested in dance and she is also a great swimmer! |
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Stephanie Krajnik now lives in the Grand Rapids area with her parents, younger sister, and brother. She lived in Connecticut on a naval base for seven years where she was able to play with her friends or read a good book outside in the fresh air. Stephanie’s mother always encouraged Stephanie to play outside and to act in a responsible manner toward the natural world.
Stephanie came to Aquinas College to pursue a biology major that would eventually enable her to become an epidemiologist. She discovered that there are numerous factors that cause various diseases and very few solutions for these systemic problems. In the midst of her frustration, she found answers in her EL 100 course with Dr. Tueth. It |
| was then she realized that a key aspect of the Sustainable Business was solving systemic problems. |
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| Stephanie hopes to find her niche in the Sustainable Business movement working to establish preventative measures for chronic disease as well as aid in discovering cures for chronic diseases. Before she jumps into the “real world,” her routine here at Aquinas includes: Habitat for Humanity Club treasurer, Environmental Political Interactive Change Club vice president and an RA at Regina Residence Hall. If she happens to have any free time you may find her reading a magazine, from back to front! |
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Elisabeth Davis is a senior in the Sustainable Business Program who transferred to Aquinas from Central Michigan University. Betsy left behind her previous academic work as a photography major and traded it in for a passion for sustainability. Transferring to Aquinas was an easy transition for Betsy; she lives only a mile from campus and says that she “practically grew up on campus.” Her connection with nature is credited to her parent’s early encouragement to play outside in nature and get her hands in the dirt, a pastime that Betsy continues today.
Betsy's life-long connection to the natural world began to motivate her to become informed about the environment. She was particularly drawn to research the variety of |
| persistent toxins that are constantly made bioavailable. When she read the book Living Downstream by Sandra Steingraber in one of her SB classes she gained clarity of this issue and connected with the program even more. She is entirely committed to the sustainable business movement and intends to work in the sector of the movement that produces trendy, out-performing, functional, and beautiful products. |
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| When Betsy is away from her studies, she enjoys warm weather activities such as biking, disk golfing, or hitting the beach. She continues to utilize her photography talents as a hobby. One thing you may not know about Betsy is that she is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international honors society that encourages students to embrace volunteerism and help out the under privileged. |
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Joseph Balog is a senior majoring in Sustainable Business, who was raised in Traverse City. His parents often took him camping where he explored Michigan forests and developed a love for hiking, climbing, and camping. Joe’s favorite past time activity is volunteering for variety of causes, and he also enjoys photography. Two fun facts you may not know about Joe is that he once fell while playing a game of musical chairs in front of 3,000 people, and he can recite the entire script of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Joe had always been drawn to Catholic Theology. Joe’s inspiration to seriously investigate Sustainable Business came two summers ago when he read the book Cradle to Cradle and felt “it just made sense.” Joe discovered that the principles of this |
| book seemed to fit well with his faith. He continued to read other publications on the subject and has since become utterly intrigued with the principles of Sustainable Business. |
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| Joe is currently researching the intrinsic philosophy behind Sustainable Business and is looking for the connections of his Catholicism to the movement. He particularly enjoys the social aspect of sustainable business and looks forward to working overseas for a nonprofit organization, when Joe hopes someday to use his sustainable business expertise to significantly reduce world poverty. |
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Lindsay Baker is a senior majoring in Sustainable Business major and working towards her Spanish minor. She grew up in Jupiter, Florida with her parents where she was taught to respect all people and things. Lindsay believes that in respecting the earth, she respects all people. Aside from hugging trees this school year, Lindsay is enjoying her position as an resident assistant at Regina Hall. When she is not working hard at school, the multi-talented Lindsay enjoys playing the clarinet, saxophone, piano, and harp!
While enrolled at The College of the Atlantic in Maine and working towards a degree in environmental economics, Lindsay stumbled upon the Sustainable Business Program at Aquinas College. After researching the program, Lindsay realized this degree was a |
| perfect fit for her and she then made the decision to transfer to Aquinas. Since coming to Grand Rapids, every class, conversation, and assignment, has furthered Lindsay’s understanding and appreciation for the sustainable business movement. |
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| The natural world has always been a big part of Lindsay's life, and Sustainable Business gives her the competency to enhance the environment and human community while making the organization that employs her even more profitable.. Lindsay is always anxious to wrap her mind around each new concept presented in SB class. “Each day I realize how fantastic and top notch this program really is,” Lindsay remarks. She knows she has found her academic home at Aquinas College. |
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Lauren Rogers is a senior Sustainable Business major, with a double minor in accounting and French. Lauren was drawn to the opportunity to take a wide variety of classes and that was very appealing to Lauren who felt that the degree aligned her “values and beliefs into an educational experience.”
Lauren is especially interested in how daily processes can be made more effective and sustainable. She is interested in integrating sustainability into urban life.
Lauren’s family history influenced her in choosing her course of study. She cites her grandfather as a major influence on her, “I think he probably influenced me the most to |
| choose Sustainable Business. He always spent time in nature and taught me how to enjoy and respect it. At the same time he thought that business was an important thing to learn, and that knowing how industry works would be beneficial to me in my future.” |
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| Lauren loves the outdoors and her favorite hobbies include traveling, camping, cooking, running, spending time with family and friends, and reading. She incorporates sustainability into her daily life by making small, yet important, changes in her daily habits in an effort to provide value to the natural world. She involves others in her life by sharing with them what she has learned about sustainability. |
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Katie Rogala, a senior, is majoring in Sustainable Business & Community Leadership. “When I came on a tour to Aquinas I had no idea what I wanted to study. Then I heard about Sustainable Business and it sounded exactly like what I had been looking for, the perfect mix. The program just made sense and I knew it was something I could really believe in wholeheartedly,” says Katie. Her favorite area in Sustainable Business is the Triple Top Line. She says it is embodiment of sustainability, and it combines the three things that should be at the core of every business.
Katie grew up in Livonia, Michigan with her mother who always attempted to make environmentally-conscious lifestyle choices. Katie unknowingly grew up being taught |
| the importance of respecting the earth and people. Her father worked at the VA hospital in downtown Detroit and, Katie says he has the biggest heart of anyone she knows. Both of her parents have always been an inspiration to her. |
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| Katie is a student ambassador and enjoys spreading her enthusiasm about Aquinas. She recently joined the newly formed lacrosse team here at Aquinas and found out that she really likes playing. “I love being outside in general,” says Katie. “Hiking, swimming, even walking to Gaslight Village (a neighborhood near Aquinas) are fun.Katie enjoys educating people who aren't familiar with sustainability and presses her roommates to recycle everything even after they've thrown it away. She tries to take the extra time to realize the importance ofthe fundamentals of sustainability and to live her beliefs. |
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Mary Tate grew up in Petoskey, a small city in northern Michigan, with her parents, sister and brother. “We're a close family and have always believed in ‘being the change you wish to see,’” states Mary. “I developed my passion for making a difference through my family's support and drive for social issues. We always enjoyed lively discussions and debates about many social and environmental issues, which fueled my passion and helped me develop a strength and courage to fight for what I believe is right.”
Mary is currently a senior majoring in Sustainable Business with a minor in Communication. From an early age Mary said she knew she had a passion for the environment and social issues, but she was unsure about where her passion would lead her. When she |
| found the Sustainable Business program at Aquinas, she knew it was exactly what she had been searching for. Mary says, “Sustainable Business has allowed me to grow in multiple ways and has handed me the tools I need to tackle the current problems facing the world concerning the environment.” |
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| Mary loves every aspect of SB because everything focuses on bettering the community and enjoying life. Two areas of particular interest are developing local interdependent communities and the concept of biomimicry. Mary says that sustainability touches everything in life. We can make a decision to follow conventionality or to take the more difficult path and make the small steps towards sustainability that sometimes seem insignificant. For example, she chooses to walk or ride her bike to work or school instead of driving, even in Michigan’s freezing winter months. She is a firm believer that every small change you make in your own life will and does make a difference, but adds that "less bad" solutions will never generate significant change. |
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Sean Fahey is currently a senior majoring in Sustainable Business. Sean grew up in Grand Haven, MI with his parents and his father, Marty Fahey, works at Aquinas as the Director of College Relations. Some hobbies he enjoys include road biking and engaging in various political discussions with his friends.
Sean chose Sustainable Business because he wants to makean impact and change the world. “I really didn't get passionate about the environment until the summer before I came to Aquinas,” says Sean. “This is when I realized I could actually make a difference in my community with this major.” His favorite areas in the field include sustainable energy and biomimicry. Sean incorporates sustainability into his daily life by recycling, trying to walk or ride his bike rather than driving, being an advocate for sustainability, and cutting back on his energy and water use. |
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| Current Sustainable Business Internships: |
| Amber Burrows - Priority Health, Brett Little - Rockford Berge, Ashley Robinson - Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Eric Timon - Amway, Rachel Tueth - LocalFirst, Jill Wagner - Amway, Shane McGrath - Steelcase, Adam Zahn - Eastown Community Association |
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| Congratulations to our May '10 Graduates! |
| Heather Bryant, Amber Burrows, Rebecca Goh, Shane McGrath, Nick Piedmont, Ashley Robinson, Marney Spitzley, Eric Timon, Rachel Tueth, Jill Wagner, and Adam Zahn |
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| Employment of Sustainable Business Program Graduates: |
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Ann Erhardt, May '09 is currently working part-time for WMEAC (West Michigan Environmental Action Council). Her focus is on community energy projects and programs. At the moment, she is working on implementing Project Light Change in Muskegon County. The project is grand funded by the Michigan Public Service Commission. She will begin this same project in Grand Rapids this summer.
Ann has also been doing work with LEED but will soon shift her focus solely to WMEAC projects. In addition, she has been spending time working on fund development for the Grand Rapids Women's Chorus as a director on their board. Ann is also active in the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum and is the chair of the Marketing and Communications committee. |
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Jessica Zahn, May '07 completed a year-long internship with Metro Health Hospital in Wyoming, Michigan. Subsequently, Jessica worked for the U.S. Green Building Council- West Michigan Chapter as the Projects Coordinator. In fall of 2008 she relocated to Portland, Oregon and currently works for Skyline School as the Waste Reduction Coordinator. There she works on environmental education, composting, and recycling in the cafeteria and around the school, and finding other ways to improve Skyline's natural world footprint. |
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Becky Brown, May '09 will begin graduate work this fall at the University of Michigan in the Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environment program with a concentration in environmental policy and planning. Becky is convinced that
developing a background in environmental policy and law will allow her to contribute to the movement in a variety of ways. Ms. Brown plans to establish her professional career in the state of Michigan where she believes that meaningful dialog dedicated to sustainability is crucial for a high quality of life and to the rejuvenation of the state's economy. |
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Bryant La Pres, May '09
is currently employed by PM Environmental, headquartered in Lansing, Mich., as a
sustainability and energy consultant. Bryant is working on sustainability projects as well as Phase I environmental site assessments. PM Environmental also has offices in Grand Rapids, Detroit, Indiana, Alabama,Tennessee, and Florida. |
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Karen Gray, May '08 has recently been hired as a salaried employee at Steelcase after one year of work as an intern/contract employee of the Global Environmental Performance department and Supply Chain Management Group. Her new position involves product certification initiatives such as MBDC C2C, and BIFMA-E3, managing RECs from the Texas wind farm, Green Suppliers Network, and other voluntary and regulatory projects geared toward Steelcase’s suppliers. |
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Katie O'Brien, May '08 now works for commercial furniture manufacturer Haworth, of Holland, Michigan in the Environmental Sustainability Department as an associate sustainability consultant. My primary duties are ISO 14001, LEED, and BIFMA certifications. Katie also provides sustainability information to global clientele and showrooms. |
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Megan Cramer, 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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| 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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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. |
| Lara now works for Pilgrim Manor of Grand Rapids, a long-term assisted living facility for the elderly, as sustainability coordinator. Her job responsibilities include directing the continuous implementation of a sustainable business framework that includes projects such as storm water management and sustainability metrics as well as education for Pilgrim Manor staff and residents. |
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Liz Ivkovich graduated in May 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 has accepted the position of International Associate Director of Administration for Word Made Flesh, a non-profit Christian missionary organization headquartered in the U.S. with operations worldwide. . |
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Josh Miller graduated in December 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, MI for the environmental consulting firm Entrix, where she is employed as an Assistant Staff Scientist. Entrix is a national company known for its work in natural resource management and environmental risk assessment. |
Entrix has recently started a corporate-wide sustainability initiative, and Kate has had a chance to head up the local office "green team". Kate says she now regularly draws upon her SB educational experience at Aquinas in many of her duties.
In her free time Kate is also a member of an up & coming band called "The Hallows." She plays the violin and does some vocals. |
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Melissa Vander Horst (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 is now employed by Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, Ga. as the Assistant to the Dean of Students. Her responsibilities include acting serving the Dean of Students, the student body, staff, and faculty; coordinating several projects and events on campus; and providing direction for transitioning the organization to sustainable business practices. |
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Jessica
Eimer graduated in December 2005 with a B.S.
in sustainable business, environmental studies, and geography. In January, Jessica was hired as the Program Director
for the Center
for Sustainability at Aquinas College (C4S).
She is active in Aquinas’ campus Sustainability Initiative by playing a lead role in organizing and managing student involvement, overseeing a campus sustainability inventory, and supporting the “internal redesign for sustainability” process. Jessica also organizes conferences and special events on campus, continues to promote the sustainable business program and the Center for Sustainability in the community, maintains multiple web sites including the C4S site, and supervises student involvement in the Center. Finally, she represents the Center for Sustainability in various community initiatives, such as Local First, the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, the Community Sustainability Partnership, and the West Michigan Sustainable Purchasing Consortium. |
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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.
Leslee has worked as Constituent Services Representative for Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers since September of 2005. Her responsibilities include addressing constituent questions and concerns, making appropriate community referrals and advocating for fair resolutions when problems with federal agencies or departments occur. |
| Additional responsibilities include coordinating and attending events on behalf of the Congressman, specifically those pertaining to housing and community development, environmental issues and sustainability initiatives; providing policy and procedural updates to a wide range of community stakeholders, researching grant and partnership opportunities for individuals and organizations, and drafting newsletters, press releases and letters of support. |
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John Ebers graduated from Aquinas College in May 2004. 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 as the Sustainable Business Officer for Metro. John now works for Practice Greenhealth of Reston, VA as the
Associate Director of Sustainability Education and Training. |
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