Meet the Graduates: Class of 2023 Sustainability Stewards

The Sustainability Stewards are student leaders who promote sustainable practices among the NC State community through workshops, presentations, projects and events. 

This spring semester, the University Sustainability Office is proud to recognize 6 Stewards who have joined the graduating class of 2023. Each of them has uniquely contributed to sustainability in the classroom, across campus and for our community. 

“Stewards has given me the platform to expand my leadership skills and work on projects that I’m passionate about,” said Connor Hoke, one of the graduating seniors. “Being able to identify areas of improvement on campus and then being supported along the way has given me a lot of confidence to share new ideas.”

Major projects coordinated by the Stewards this year included installing three new Campus Green Havens to provide opportunities for students to connect with nature, hosting a fall PARK(ing) Day, thrift store pop-ups and Name-A-Tree competition, as well as coordinating an Environmental Justice Symposium and campus-wide Energy and Water Competition.

Congratulations to these Stewards on their accomplishments and future plans. Their efforts have laid a strong foundation for a more sustainable campus.

Alie Akins: Degrees in Nuclear Engineering and International Studies

Alie has been a Steward since the 2020 spring semester and will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering at NC State University.

Kenan Hill: Degree in International Studies-Global Sustainable Development

Kenan has been a Steward for the past 3 years and will be pursuing research in sustainable food systems in Colorado.

Connor Hoke: Degree in Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Energy and Sustainability

Connor joined the Stewards program in the fall of 2020 and will be working as a production and supply engineer. 

Julia Mattox: Degree in Environmental Engineering

Julia joined the Stewards in the fall of 2022 and will be working as an environmental engineer.

Kyle Wurtz: Graduate Degree in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Kyle joined the Stewards in the fall of 2022 and will be working as a landscape architect.

Elias Zauscher: Degree in Environmental Engineering with a minor in German Studies

Elias has been a Steward since the 2021 fall semester and will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a concentration in water resources, computing and modeling at NC State University.