CLC 3 Keara Ryan

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The Climate Leadership Certificate provides the training and experience needed for students to apply a variety of skills to critical work in climate action and justice, as well as other vital areas of sustainability, including social justice, economic vitality, and well-being. Throughout the one-and-a-half year program, students engage in curriculum targeted at sustainability literacy, planning, and leadership, while also participating in hands-on practicum work with a variety of sustainability organizations in Whatcom County and the Methow Valley.

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Keara Ryan

Kara on a flower farm

Growing up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the environment has been an integral part of my life. Though the PNW is often considered one of the regions most reliant to climate change, my childhood was deeply impacted by the yearly flooding that stopped life in my hometown every year for a few days. I didn’t have the words to describe it until I got to college, experiences like these have created my passion for environmental justice. I hope to pursue a job in environmental policy to address climate change with equity, justice, and inclusion as fundamental principles in creating a more just and sustainable society.  

As a major in Sociology along with minors in Political Science and Holocaust & Genocide Studies may seem like it has little to do with the environment or climate, but climate change has been a central focus of my academic stewardship. I have an interdisciplinary education of environmental issues, but currently lack hands-on experience that will be integral to my future success. This certificate will allow me to further develop and hone my leadership skills to apply to my future climate work.