The third annual Sustainability Studies Earthstock Alumni Panel brought together graduates from each of the five majors in the program to speak to current students about what they have been doing post graduation, and the kinds of opportunities they have encountered. The panel pictured here are from right: Nicole Laible, Double major in Coastal Environmental Studies/ Marine Sciences –2012, Tara Linton, Ecosystems and Human Impact Major, Sustainability Studies Minor – 2013, Shawn Nuzzo, Environmental Design, Policy, and Planning Major- 2013, Nia Padilla, Environmental Humanities Major – 2013,
Anna Woodroof, Sustainability Studies Major -2012.
The alums spoke about the work they are doing ranging from being the President of Ecological Engineering of Long Island, to Assistant Project Coordinator for their AmeriCorps program, with a wide array of positions in between. The panel was moderated by the Career Center’s Dr. Alfreda James, with over 125 students were in attendance.
Tara Linton is currently a Student Conservation Association (SCA) AmeriCorps member participating in a 10-month internship at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) office in Queens as an Environmental Educator Assistant. She works closely with the DEC Environmental Educator to organize environmental education programs including professional development workshops, public outreach events, and youth summer camp programming.
Shawn Nuzzo is a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) and is President of Ecological Engineering of Long Island, a firm specializing in the design of solar arrays and managing LEED building projects. Soon after graduating from Stony Brook’s EDP program, he was elected president of the Civic Association of Setauket and Stony Brook and currently serves as Internship Director of the Three Village Community Trust. Shawn co-chairs the “Greening of 25-A Committee” with Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn and helped to found Stony Brook Fire Department’s Sustainability Committee, where he volunteers as a firefighter.
Nicole Laible, has attained a position with the Rockland County AmeriCorps /Youth Bureau as the Assistant Project Coordinator for their AmeriCorps program. She also served as the Assistant Coordinator for the Stream Monitoring Program through the Rockland County Department of Environmental Resources and Soil & Water Conservation District (citizen science project). Currently Nicole is serving with SCA/ AmeriCorps at the NYS – DEC Region 3 office as the Estuary Fisheries Educator, where she is conducting walleye telemetry studies, American eel citizen science research, and estuary education to Hudson Valley residents.
Nia Padilla is currently working as a paid intern at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in the communications department. She works on planning educational outreach projects and partnership events with the Student Conservation Association (SCA). Nia is exploring different types of work and projects, to see which kinds of work she would like to pursue a career in. She enjoys traveling and hopes to gain a position where she can travel broadly – ideally with a human rights advocacy/ sustainability organization.
Anna Woodroof is currently an intern at the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) reporting directly to Carrie Meek Gallagher, the Chief Sustainability Officer. She is currently working on projects including measures to safeguard the county’s water natural resources. She is also currently serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) at the Community Development Corporation of Long Island. Part of her responsibilities include promoting NYS Energy Efficiency programs to residents and businesses in low to moderate income areas. She also serves as a member of the Sandy Housing Recovery Program where she supports Disaster Case Managers and performs outreach to communities about Sandy recovery resources. She hopes to attend graduate school focusing on water resource management.
