We’d like to introduce you to one of our Alumni Sustainability Champions: Lauren Smitherman ’07! Lauren has certainly kept herself busy since graduating from St. Ed’s! She received her M.S. in Water Resources Science from Oregon State University in 2015. The courses she took were centered around resource sustainability from the engineering, policy and management, and science perspectives. Outside of the classroom, Lauren was deeply involved with OSU Hydrophiles, a group that makes sustainability a cornerstone by partnering with local organizations such as Mary’s River Watershed Council, the Institute for Water and Watersheds, and Trout Unlimited, just to name a few. Lauren also completed field work in eastern Oregon regarding water quality in order to ensure safe drinking water. Here in Austin, she purchased an Austin Energy 4 star-rated green home where she composts, rides her bike, and tries to limit her water consumption by planting drought-tolerant plants. Her neighborhood community ensures that policy makers are focused on sustainability by hosting meetings with district representatives to ensure that their voices are heard.
We treasure sharing the stories of our graduates who are making a difference in the lives of so many people and invite you too to send us your story. To submit a nomination, please email the Sustainability Coordinator with the nominee’s name, graduation year, and a few green accomplishments.