Hometown: Valley Stream, NY
Major: Environmental Policy and Decision Making
Favorite LC Event: Baltimore and Washington DC Professional Development Trip
My name is Maria Fredericks and I am a first-year Environmental Policy and Decision-Making major from Valley Stream, New York. Coming to a school as big as Ohio State was definitely a daunting task, and I knew I had to create a community where I could feel at home immediately. SUSTAINS was the perfect fit for me. Wanting to try new things at OSU, it seemed redundant to join an organization that was so similar to my major but upon participating in the early-arrival program, I knew immediately I was wrong. It is truly enlightening to be a part of a community that cares about the environment and wants to make as big an impact as you. Within three days of living in our amazing new home, Scott House, I felt I belonged in a place so far away from my home.
Outside of the community-building portion that SUSTAINS provides, the “learning” aspect also brings several benefits. As a SUSTAINS member, I have been able to connect with professionals across OSU and Columbus for internship and research possibilities. I have learned what sustainability means at Ohio State and how I could further develop sustainability through our SUSTAINS project. I loved participating in volunteer projects such as educating for the Zero Waste Tailgate and gardening at 4th Street Farms. It is truly gratifying to feel myself making a difference in the Ohio State community, especially as a new student.
My favorite SUSTAINS event to date was our professional development trip to Washington, D.C. I received the amazing opportunity of traveling to the nation’s capital with my best friends to meet with officials from the EPA, Bipartisan Policy Center, and even Chief Sustainability Officers for large corporations. As a policy major, this was perfectly aligned with my interests but it also proved educational and eye-opening to people outside environmental majors. I never would have thought that choosing to apply to a small Learning Community would allow me to develop my interests and discover myself, not just in Columbus, but also in Washington, D.C.