Michigan Sustainability Community (MSC)

Tasio Cole (he/him)

Major:
Economics major

Why did you join MSC? 

As an economics major passionate about the intersection of economics, business, and sustainability, I wanted to join a community to educate me on that subject. I found a lot more than that with MSC. The MSC family is incredible because of the people it attracts: those genuinely interested in doing good and enjoying nature from a variety of majors and backgrounds.

What you have enjoyed/benefited the most from the community: 

My MSC friends are like family to me. I’ve spent a lot of time hanging out with them after class, and I feel like they expand my worldview beyond my major and push me to be a better, more sensitive person. Learning from MSC staff has been an absolute pleasure as well. It’s hard to find people as genuine and learned as they are about sustainability, for which I am so grateful.
 

Emma Mastroianni (She/her/hers)

Major:
Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology (MCDB if abbreviated)

Why did you join MSC?
MSC is a community of motivated and eager learners who share a similar passion for the environment. I wanted to be a part of a community that encourages leadership and advocacy for the problems that our world faces today.

What you have enjoyed/benefited the most from the community:
Besides gaining a deeper understanding of the current and past struggles for environmental justice, I learned about the ways in which I can help invoke change. I learned how to write grants for funding local led projects and I learned how much one can achieve with a group of like-minded individuals. MSC gave me the resources to create a world that I want to live in.
 

Quinn VanZile

Major: Chemistry Major, Environment Minor

Why did you join MSC?
I joined the MSC because I wanted to find a group of like-minded peers who would learn together and encourage each other to live in a way that limits harm on the planet. Another big draw to the program for me was that we grow mushrooms for the dining hall, learning sustainable food systems, and gaining practical skills!

What you have enjoyed/benefited the most from the community:
My favorite thing about the MSC has been the friends and mentors that I’ve connected with. At such a big university it is hard to find your people, but in the MSC I have made so many friends from so many disciplines connected by a common drive to make the planet healthier. I’ve also had wonderful work opportunities and connections in sustainability through this community that I wouldn’t have had without joining.