Olivia Audet is an Environmental Conservation and Sustainability major at UNH and is graduating in December 2024. Olivia spent this summer as a Sustainability Fellow with our partner host, Scrapp, an alumni founded company that works to address the issue of waste. We caught up with Olivia to hear more about her experience!
Why did you apply to the Sustainability Fellowship?
I was interested in the Fellowship due to the unique hands-on experience it offers working with professionals in the field of sustainability. Through this experience I was glad to make an impact for my host and the greater community. I’m especially pleased that I was able to provide Scrapp and their clients with a program to expand general waste knowledge.
What was your role with Scrapp?
I worked in the field of waste management with Scrapp and had two roles. My main assignment was to create an online, educational-based Champions Program for Scrapp customers. Around this work I researched CO2 methodology linked to different packaging types to ensure Scrapp has the most up-to-date data on environmental impact.
What excited you most about your work and project?
I was most excited to know that the work I did this summer will be used by Scrapp customers to become more educated about waste management and the impact their organizations' waste has on the environment. These organizations are eager to join the waste conversations, and the Scrapp platform allows them to do so.
What was your biggest take-away from the Fellowship experience?
My biggest takeaway from the Fellowship was how rapidly sustainability guidance is evolving. It feels like every day new data is coming out about environmental impacts making it a very exciting time to be entering the field of sustainability. Thanks to Scrapp and UNHSI, I have had the unique opportunity to work for a company in the the field of sustainability during my time as an undergrad. This has opened new doors for me that would not be possible without the Sustainability Fellowship program.
What advice would you give to current students who want to get experience in sustainability?
The UNH Sustainability Institute offers so many amazing opportunities to get hands-on experience in the field of sustainability.
Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try something new.