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Ashley Moreno (she/her)

Major: Art Media and Design
Expected graduation date: Spring 2025

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I feel like it could be a cool opportunity to expand my creativity and as well was encouraged by my professor and it got me curious about it."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

Leonardo Beltran-Mariano

Major: Computer Science
Expected graduation date: 2025

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I'm interested in learning new skills that can help me in the future but also help others and together we can make something wonderful."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

Krisha Pedraza (they/them)

Major: Environmental Studies
Expected graduation date: Spring 2025

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I'm interested in this program because I feel I connect with its mission in every way. I grew up as a minority in the Southern U.S. with immigrant parents: low-income and disproportionately affected. I coped with life growing up in a violent household via writing and internal discussion and want to make a difference for people who have walked similar paths."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

"As the visibility of disproportionately affected communities by climate change is on the rise, I'm hopeful that environmental justice will soon become an attribute of all societies and that globally, we'll be able to collaborate to provide greater conditions for everyone."

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

"I'd love to meet my grandmother from my fathers' side of the family. My dad was orphaned at a young age and eventually my grandma went missing. We're not sure if it was intentional for her to go "off the grid". The last we heard from her she was in Italy; I think she'll have some interesting life stories and important memories to share. I kind of hope we share things in common; that a connection exists genetically even if unlikely. I feel that being a child of immigrants comes with the consequence of not understanding where your ancestors came from. Meeting her would be a life-changing, eye-opening experience."

Catelyn Dittamo (she/they)

Major: Literature and Writing, Art History
Expected graduation date: 2026

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I wanted to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program primarily because of my passion in art, specifically in how we can use art to promote urgent messages about change needed in our society. Through art, we can inspire social change in terms of justice, community, and equity, as well as in how we can promote attainable forms of sustainability within this. Art has the power to reach all ages, which makes it a universal tool in reaching audiences to address social justice and sustainability. Additionally, sustainability is not strictly about the environment and our part in the rescue of it, but it stresses the importance of recognizing how current issues such as climate change, air quality, or flooding each disproportionately impact underprivileged communities. I personally recognize these struggles as an issue that should be more widely addressed, and through this program, I can be a part of utilizing art as a form of educating. "

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

"What gives me hope for the future considering climate change and sustainability issues is that, as time has progressed, the youth has become increasingly aware of the environment and how crucial it is for us to not only make attempts to fight for our planet, but also for one another."

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

"If I could meet one person, I would love to meet the artist Yayoi Kusama. As one of my favorite artists, I feel so connected to her work, but am incredibly curious how it is to be in her presence. I wonder how it would be to have a discussion with her-- to watch her think and speak in real time as the person who has created pieces that have developed such an impactful and permanent place in the world."

Zeenia Najmi (she/her)

Major: Economics Minor: Sustainability
Expected graduation date: Spring 2026

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I wanted to apply to be a part of the Planet Mentorship Internship because growing up I have always had a strong connection to nature and a sense of obligation to protect it. My dedication to environmental protection prompted me to pursue a degree in economics with a minor in sustainability to further my comprehension of the inner workings of ecosystems while also having a political background for campaigning and advocacy research. I strive to make a real effect and motivate others to join me in protecting the environment by attending or organizing community clean-up activities, advocating for sustainable policy, and simply sharing knowledge and resources with others. Being a part of this program will allow not just me but inclusively anyone who joins, to grow networking connections, have opportunities to shadow companies, and will make one think deeply about research topics which in return will create strong guidance for career pathways."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

"What gives me hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues, is youth. Starting that connection with the environment at a young age and teaching them the severity of climate issues will help the continuation of the growth of net zero. Youth are also beneficial for imagination and creativity which will contribute economically to future innovations."

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

"If I could meet 1 person, it would be me. I wonder what it feels like to talk to myself from an outside perspective."

Sarah Shakir (she/her)

Major: Biology
Expected graduation date: Spring 2024

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I wanted to apply to be part of the Planet Mentorship Internship because growing up my love for science and nature have been embedded in my values. There is a strong connection between environment health and human health. As someone who is striving to be a physician, health can be primarily impacted by the environment. If we do not take care of our environment, we are impacting the animals, plants, soil, and our body. Our honesty and justice starts when we begin to acknowledge the negative consequences we are causing, and create a change. I am extremely passionate about speaking for those who do not have a voice which this program will allow me to use my artistic and creative skills to evoke a message. I will become more aware of different environmental issues and participate in create a powerful message that can inspire many young minds about creating the change that is needed to happen."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

"What gives me hope for the future in the light of climate change and sustainability issues is education. I appreciate that more environmental justice courses are being embedded and taught throughout the educational journey of this generation. I think to further this step, is to create possible action plans. As a student, I have learned many environmental issues that humans are causing but I still do not know how I can help. I believe with more organizations and projects like this, it can allow many students to participate and become engaged in making a change."

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

"If I could meet 1 person it would be my ancestor. I want to experience and see how deep their respect and connection to earth before industries took over."

Leobardo Moreno Villanueva (he/him)

Major: Art, Media, and Design
Expected graduation date: 2026

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I hear about it from my teacher she told me I should join."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

 

Melanie Wollrabe (she/her)

Major: Liberal Studies
Expected graduation date: Spring 2025

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I have seen the amazing work in the Library Exhibition and have always wanted to add my own artwork into the collection. I had a great time in Professor Solomon's Data Visualization class because we got to explore data in a creative way, so it inspired me to keep going on this artistic path."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

"It is being discussed more on social media and reaching target audiences that are willing to make a change. We also see institutions such as our campus making a difference in their resources and practices. "

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

"I want to meet my grandma on my mom's side again because she lived in Indonesia so I only got to see her when she flew here every few years. The last time I saw her was when I was 8 or younger, so the memories are fading, but I remember they were always happy. I would love to talk to her and show her how good I am doing in life."

Daniel Castillo Pepe (he/him/茅l)

Major: Global Studies Minor: Art and Media - French
Expected graduation date: Spring 2025

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I want to be part of the program because I am passionate about national, federal, and international social justice. My major is Global Studies, emphasizing Latin America, global conflict, international policies and cooperation, international law, and human rights. I am minoring in French and Digital and Media Arts. I think the environment covers each area I am interested in. We can see the environment as a global conflict when countries affect each other. Due to environmental issues, we have seen changes and improvements in international policies and laws. I believe we all deserve a good environment regardless of where we live. Enjoying a safe and clean environment is a human right; we don't all have it. This program will help me to apply all my knowledge, and I will acquire knowledge from my classmates and mentors. This program is vital in my current major and future career. Therefore, I would like to be considered as it is a way to learn and impact the world somehow."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

Kimberly Perez Arango (she/her)

Major: Sociology
Expected graduation date: Spring 2024

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I wanted to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program because I feel that by educating ourselves about our planet, we can gain new knowledge that can increase awareness of how we can help our environment. Since I was little, I have enjoyed being outdoors and connecting with nature. I believe the busy lives that we are surrounded by can sometimes limit not only our connection with nature but also the importance of taking care of the environment to preserve green areas. While valuing the water because if we don't use it properly the easy access we have to water now can change drastically in the future. I am very excited to learn more about sustainability and contamination along with social justice impacts. The project we will be working on will teach me a lot, and I look forward to sharing that knowledge with others through art."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

"For me, younger generations give me hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues. I think contributing now to building a strong foundation for advocacy and cooperation for reducing/cleaning trash in our world can start an ongoing work towards a positive impact on our planet. Finding ways in which everyone can receive an education about issues in the environment, regardless of their social status. For instance, learning about how we individually contribute to contamination, water, and air pollution, etc."

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?

"Lastly, if I could meet 1 person, it would be someone from the past when the world was not as industrialized as it is now. I would want to know the strategies they used to reuse things because they didn鈥檛 use plastic. Just finding alternatives for things that have now made our lives easier but at the cost of negatively impacting nature. I was also thinking about their clothing whether they made it themselves compared to the machines that are used today and how often we buy clothes to keep up with fashion/new styles."

Angelina Parra (she/her)

Major: Biochemistry Minor: Visual Arts
Expected graduation date: Fall 2026

Why did you want to apply to be in the Planet Mentorship Program?

"I鈥檓 interested in this program because I believe it relates to an assisting faculty position with Lucy Solomon. We are learning about the potential benefits of using plants - more especially, fungi - to improve the planet. The history and evolution of plants, as well as the many ways in which we might solve problems or advance, are fascinating to me."

What gives you hope for the future in light of climate change and sustainability issues?

If you could meet 1 person, alive or not, who would it be and why?