UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State alumni recently returned to share guidance and encouragement with students considering careers in sustainability.
The virtual event, held Sept. 22, was the first in a three-part fall Sustainability Career Webinar Series hosted by Sustain Penn State. The next session, “Careers in Sustainability and Organizing — Natural Partners,” will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22 and is co-presented by the LABOR School at Penn State.
The Sept. 22 webinar highlighted diverse paths graduates have taken as they translated their Penn State experiences into professional sustainability roles. Panelists included Ashley Currey, a 2025 graduate in entrepreneurship; Isabella Briseño Elafi, a 2023 graduate in environmental resource management now working in conservation and natural resource education; Benjamin Lyman, a 2020 graduate in environmental biology currently working as an enterprise service representative at RoadRunner Recycling; Marisela Sotelo Tornero, a 2025 graduate now pursuing a master of public policy degree focused on water and health policy in Latin America; and Nora Van Horn, a 2021 graduate in philosophy, global studies, and Chinese, who is an assistant attorney general in the Office of the New York State Attorney General.
Van Horn encouraged students to see sustainability as an active pursuit that can begin on campus.
“My big takeaway is that students interested in sustainability-linked jobs shouldn't wait for graduation to contribute to efforts to make the world a better place,” she said. “Identify something you're passionate about. Get involved in tackling the issues that get you fired up. By doing that in college, you start to build the skills and experiences that you need to apply to and be successful in a meaningful public service career.”
Panelist Marisela Sotelo Tornero reflected on how her career interests have evolved through hands-on experience.
“For me, sustainability starts with ensuring everyone has access to safe water and a healthy environment, because dignity begins there,” she said. “Working with rural communities in Peru, and seeing similar challenges across the region, showed me how clean water can transform lives, especially for children. My training in economics and public policy helped me understand how to turn those lessons into action. Through water and health policy work, I strive to create solutions — whether evaluating policies that protect water quality and public health or shaping strategies to reduce lead in drinking water.”
Soltero Tornero added that sustainability and policy are deeply interconnected.
“Both are about rethinking how we care for people and ensuring all communities have a voice in the systems that affect their lives," she said.
Students who attended said the conversation offered them a clearer understanding of how academic interests can translate into real-world impact.
“Attending the Zoom session on careers in sustainability was an insightful experience that helped to broaden my understanding of potential career paths and opportunities that I did not consider before,” said Elly Miller, a master of public policy student expected to graduate in 2026. “I was also able to connect with extremely knowledgeable and helpful professionals during this event and am looking forward to learning more from them in the future.”
Continuing series
The series continues with “Careers in Sustainability and Organizing — Natural Partners” from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Co-presented by The LABOR School at Penn State, the webinar will explore how labor and community organizing can advance sustainability by strengthening worker rights, empowering local voices, and building coalitions for long-term environmental and social change.
Panelists on Oct. 22 will include Allie Petonic, strategic researcher for United Steelworkers and a Penn State alum; Reneisha Knight, organizer for SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Local 668; and Alex Tomasko, legislative director for the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and a Penn State alum.
Like the first session, the Oct. 22 webinar is free and open to all, and it is especially designed for students early in their career planning who want to explore what’s possible in the sustainability field. For more information and to register, visit the Sustainability Career Programming page at this link.
The final session in the series, “Careers in Agriculture, Food Systems, and Sustainability,” will be held online from 12:15 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18. This event will focus on career paths that connect sustainable food production, agricultural innovation, and community well-being. Participants can register at this link to attend.
For more information contact Sustain Penn State’s Student and Public Programming Coordinator Julius Camper at jac8761@psu.edu.