Celebrating my graduation! I’m thrilled to share that Harvard University has awarded me the Master’s in Sustainability (ALM) degree with honors on the Dean’s list for academic achievement.
My learning journey began during the pandemic. After twenty years out of the academic environment, it was a huge challenge to get back into graduate studies but further education was important for my professional goals related to environment, social and governance (ESG) issues.
I wanted a flexible graduate program with distance learning options to fit around my full-time work and family responsibilities. In 2020, I began the sustainability program taught through the Harvard Extension School, which provides incredible access to faculty from across Harvard.
The ALM program offers several graduate certificates that students can earn along the way. With wonderful support from my academic advisor, Lacey Klingensmith, I was able to design a program that included two graduate certificates to concentrate my studies:
Graduate Certificate in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation included life cycle assessment, sustainable business strategy, creating shared value and project management;
Graduate Certificate in Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Ecosystems included courses in water resources management, sustainable ocean environments, marine policy and socio-ecological systems.
The courses were highly demanding, covering technical subjects and requiring papers and projects that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. The classroom environment was interactive with opportunities to learn from diverse and international students.
Many people contributed to my achievement. My family and friends provided constant support from getting started to overcoming obstacles and celebrating milestones. My colleagues at the EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) provided encouragement and advice on natural resource management. My talented classmates contributed to my motivation and insight. I would like to acknowledge the following teaching assistants who impressed me with their exceptional energy and enthusiasm for the subject of sustainability: Terzah Tippin Poe, Susan Cahalan, PG, ISSP-SA, ALM, Yurika Nishioka, DSc, Casey Goodwin, Johan Arango-Quiroga and Daniel Goulart. Allison (Ali) Frederick traveled with me on the entire learning journey, providing outstanding guidance and instruction during my first and final classes. Thank you!
Looking ahead, I am focused on finding creative ways to apply my knowledge and skills in sustainability. My final project explored how to link extractives governance to sustainable development. This is an area with tremendous potential to drive positive change for citizens in resource-rich countries. Special thanks to my final project executive advisor Mamadou Bady Balde, who helped to shape the direction of my research, and Mark Robinson for his encouragement and advice on how to put my work into practice.
That's great news Mark.