Earth Month Q&A: All About the Erb Institute’s Undergraduate Program From Four Michigan Ross BBA Fellows
The Ross School of Business has a wide variety of offerings for students to get involved at the intersection of business and sustainability.
One of those offerings is the Erb Institute’s Undergraduate Fellows program, which delivers business and sustainability education, as well as community and co-curricular opportunities to Michigan Ross BBA students, students from the Program in the Environment, and students from across other schools and colleges at the University of Michigan. The first-of-its-kind program is designed to equip students with the skills and experiences to drive social, environmental, and economic change after graduation.
During this Earth Month, four students in the Michigan Ross BBA Program, who are Erb Fellows, answered questions related to their experience in the program and why Earth Day is important to them. They also share advice for prospective students interested in the Erb Fellows program and breaking into the sustainable business industry.
Amira Hassan
Program: BBA ’22, minor in environmental science
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Why is Earth Day important to recognize and are you doing anything to mark the day?
Earth Day is important because it can be used as a day to raise awareness of the current state of our global climate. I usually spend Earth Day volunteering in my local community for cleanups regarding trash and invasive species. This year, I think my efforts would be most effective in educating my peers about what they can do each day to combat the climate crisis we are facing.
What inspired you to apply to the Erb Fellows program? How does it align with your passions and future career goals?
I was inspired to join the Erb Fellowship because of my passion for environmental science and sustainability. As a business major, it was initially difficult for me to find an outlet that supported these interests. Many of my peers were not well versed in this space so I had to take a lot of initiative in revising my academics to align with these passions. That is when I came across the Erb Fellows program. As a business sustainability student, I knew I wanted my career to be focused on sustainable strategy development to aid companies in becoming more environmentally conscious and friendly.
What have you enjoyed most about being a part of the Erb Fellows program?
The community has been my favorite part of the program. I feel fortunate to have created such strong relationships with my peers, graduate students, alumni, staff, and faculty in the program. It has been amazing growing my network in a space that I am passionate about while meeting other driven individuals who want to see sustainable impact take place in our world.
What are you able to take away from your experience as an Erb Fellow?
I have grown so much thanks to this program. I have been fortunate enough to be an employee for the program as a peer advisor, which has helped me grow my communication, organization, and leadership skills. Additionally, the academic component of the program has made me well-equipped to step into a business world that needs assistance in moving toward a more sustainable form of operation. I am so excited to see all of the amazing and impactful work my peers at all levels of the Erb Institute do for our world.
CY Cheng
Program: BBA ’22, minor in sustainability
Hometown: Hong Kong
Why is Earth Day important to recognize and are you doing anything to mark the day?
There are two reasons why Earth Day is important. First, it's a reality check of the harm we have caused and reminds all of us that our individual actions matter. Secondly, it is a great way to spread awareness and education about what individuals can do to take care of our planet. However, actions that reduce our carbon footprint shouldn't be done once a year. We should integrate them into our daily lives — bring your own reusable bags to grocery stores, minimize water consumption, and turn off your apartment lights when you leave for class.
What inspired you to apply to the Erb Fellows program? How does it align with your passions and future career goals?
I'm a true believer that business can drive a positive impact on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues that we experience today. As a business major and sustainability minor, the Erb Fellows program was the perfect balance for me to learn how to drive change through business sustainability. I hope to eventually be a business leader who can run a business that maximizes growth while minimizing its negative impact on our world, and the Erb Fellows program gives me a solid foundation to begin with.
What have you enjoyed most about being a part of the Erb Fellows program?
The people. I've met many others through the program who are passionate about making an impact through sustainable business practices. Since we are like-minded, we speak the same language and dig deep into different topics related to business sustainability. Through our community connection program, I've spoken to current fellows, MBAs, and Erb alums who expanded my horizons.
What are you able to take away from your experience as an Erb Fellow?
In addition to the connections I've made through the program, an important takeaway is actually the sustainability mindset I've developed through Erb. By taking business sustainability classes, participating in speaker series, and learning about Detroit's sustainability issues and development during our day trip to the city, these experiences constantly remind me of ways I could make an impact on the community I live in. As a former student-athlete who is passionate about sustainability here at Michigan, I'm currently working on a group project that is trying to align Michigan Athletic's sustainability initiatives with the university's carbon-neutral commitments.
Ryan Little
Program: BBA ’22, minor in PitE
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Why is Earth Day important to recognize and are you doing anything to mark the day?
My understanding and outlook on Earth Day has changed a lot over my time in college, more specifically after joining Erb. Rather than a day to look at the nature-oriented adventures from the year, I see this day as a reminder of our collective need to become more sustainable as a planet, which starts with small, individual actions which can lead to systemic change.
What inspired you to apply to the Erb Fellows program? How does it align with your passions and future career goals?
I wanted to join Erb because I saw it as the perfect means to directly connect my passions of business and sustainability, as well as contribute to a group of like-minded students. Erb pushed me to re-envision my career path and put impact as a driving force behind my career search. This led me to discover the sustainable finance space which I could not be more excited to start my career in.
What have you enjoyed most about being a part of the Erb Fellows program?
First, there's the community of students who contribute a diverse set of perspectives and expertise to our cohort. Then, I love the teach-ins and learning opportunities from Erb graduate students and industry/community leaders — which are all organized by the fantastic Erb staff who really keep the wheels turning on the entire program.
What are you able to take away from your experience as an Erb Fellow?
There will be many things that I'll take away from my time as an Erb Fellow, most importantly a refreshed, sustainability oriented approach to business and a group of colleagues that will be leaders in their respective endeavors.
Suibhne O'Foighil
Program: BBA ’22, minors in computer science and complex systems
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Why is Earth Day important to recognize and are you doing anything to mark the day?
Earth Day is important because it brings us together around a shared vision: The preservation, restoration, and celebration of our planet. I will be at the annual Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival.
What inspired you to apply to the Erb Fellows program? How does it align with your passions and future career goals?
A few years ago, My father and I were on our morning drive to my high school. We were listening to NPR, and the top story that morning was that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels passed the 400 parts-per-million threshold. First, my father — an ecologist — went on a rant, and then he educated me: During spring, trees suck in CO2 and the atmospheric levels drop, and during the winter, CO2 builds up. However, this long-standing balance — a ‘natural’ cycle which has sustained life on earth for millennia — is disrupted because of us humans. Because of our own actions, we are all heading down an uncertain path, away from the conditions that gave rise to us in the first place. At that point, I understood my mere presence on this planet was having an effect, and that depending on my actions, I could be a net-negative or net-positive. I joined Ross and the Erb Fellows program because I realized business is the primary mechanism for change in our society, and if things were going to get better, I would have to do something through the commercial system. I want to be an academic and I hope to make a difference through applied research and social entrepreneurship.
What have you enjoyed most about being a part of the Erb Fellows program?
Getting involved in the community has been a fun and extremely rewarding experience. I got one of my first internship opportunities through Erb, working with Walker-Miller Energy Services: my project was to design a new revenue model for their home 'weatherization' program — the Detroit Energy Efficiency Partnership. It helps under-resourced residents lower their energy consumption and monthly bills by financing the installation of new furnaces, insulation, etc. During the project, I made friends in government and the local business community; I learned a lot from them and they helped me progress towards my goals. Moreover, I felt like I made a real impact. The project was about something bigger than me; to put simply, it was rewarding to give back. Being an Erb Fellow set me on a course that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. The people you meet here are a key part of that journey.
What are you able to take away from your experience as an Erb Fellow?
The confidence that doing business and good can be one in the same. Even synergistic. Not necessarily counteracting.
Advice for aspiring business sustainability professionals
I advise students to take initiative and grow your network in this industry. There are so many different avenues to take with a sustainability education, and it is so cool to learn about them from people who have worked in different sectors. Meet as many people as you can and learn what you like and do not like to better understand your ideal career path. I think following that advice is very important in finding a career that feels meaningful and engaging.
If you're passionate about making an impact through business and want to join a community of like-minded individuals, the Erb Fellows program is a great place to begin your journey to become a game-changer. With many organizations setting carbon-neutral commitments, there are tons of opportunities for us to make an impact.
The intersection of business and sustainability is undergoing a tremendous growth phase and I think this is the perfect time to get involved as a student/young professional. The Erb Fellows program as a whole had been many years ahead of its time, but now the private and public sectors are becoming incredibly interested in this space. My main advice is to stay strong to the principals and ideals you value and make those influence your educational and professional pathways — and if sustainability is one of those principals, then the Erb Fellows program is the place for you.
Find out what you like doing first. Ask yourself: What would you do even if you knew you weren’t getting paid? Once you have that, a feel for your passion — something that drives over and above money, status, etc. — think about how you can develop it by making a difference. What problems do you want to solve? Who is working on this? How can I get involved by applying my passion? Your career should be at the intersection of what you like doing and what you are good at. In other words, your passion and your earning potential. I’d say good luck to you and try to change the world; because if you aren't shaping the future, someone else is.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ERB INSTITUTE'S UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWS PROGRAM
