Where Are They Now? Sustainability Steward Amelia Fujikawa

Meet Amelia Fujikawa ‘16, a former Sustainability Steward who is pursuing a master’s degree in Sustainable Development and Earth System Governance in Utrecht, Netherlands.

How has your experience with the Sustainability Stewards influenced your personal or professional pursuits?

The Stewards program has impacted my life in so many ways. From providing me with project management experience, giving me access to a lifelong network of sustainability leaders, and allowing me to grow as a mentor and leader as a student coordinator, my time as a Steward was one of the best things I could have done for myself in college. I wanted to work in the waste industry because of my experiences with the Plastics project group and an internship that was recommended to me by a fellow steward helped me secure my first job after graduation. Since then, I have cherished my experiences as a Steward because they helped shape my pursuits to be a compassionate, curious, and enthusiastic individual in both my professional and personal life.

What advice would you give to current or future sustainability leaders based on your experience?

My advice would be to not be afraid to ask for advice! No connection is too small, especially in this field. I have found that sustainability professionals are always willing to lift up and guide each other, regardless of how well you know them.

What’s your favorite memory as a Sustainability Steward?

There are SO, so many. But if I had to pick one, it would probably be our camping trip at Raven Rock in 2016. Many of us were about to graduate so it was bittersweet and cathartic, and we definitely let our inner children out to celebrate our last moments as Stewards.