Stony Brook University held its annual Sustainability Studies Alumni Panel on April 23, coinciding with the Earthstock celebration. The event aimed to connect graduates and current students, offering insights into careers in sustainability.
Five alumni from various graduating classes shared their professional experiences and discussed how their education at Stony Brook prepared them for roles in ecosystem conservation, environmental education, coastal resilience, and policy development. The panelists included Jade Blennau ’17, Jessica Kaplan ’16, Justin Fehntrich ’16, Mia Ramirez ’20, and Valiana Melissourgos ’23.
Jade Blennau works as a coastal resilience and communities coordinator at Peconic Estuary Partnership. She highlighted her ongoing connection to the university: “I’m a Seawolf through and through because I went to Stony Brook for my undergraduate studies and because Stony Brook currently hosts the National Estuary Program fiscally,” she said. “I enjoy interacting with students and offering assistance when I can.”
Blennau also reflected on her motivation for participating in the panel: “I recall attending such events when I was a student. I was profoundly shaped by that guidance,” she said. She emphasized that events like these help students understand that there is no perfect pathway for everyone.
She further stressed the importance of fostering curiosity in environmental careers: “The most crucial quality you can possess in this line of work is genuine curiosity. Opportunities arise when you have a strong passion for your research, other people’s work, and creating a sense of community.”
For attendees like Chho Kakita, a marine biology major who initially attended reluctantly but found value in it: “But I’m really glad I came... hearing the alumni talk about their jobs — and how much they like them — was really encouraging.”
Kayla Fong, an environmental design, policy, and planning major saw it as beneficial to her educational journey: “One of the panelists mentioned how this is still a new field... Seeing how they succeeded despite those challenges makes me feel like I can do the same.”
Panelists addressed issues facing sustainability students such as job security and sector evolution while providing advice on networking and continuing education. A consistent theme was aligning professional identity with personal values.
Fong noted the importance of hosting more events like these: “There’s a lot of misconception about job security in this field. Panels like this one show that not only are there opportunities but you can also create your own.”
Organizers described the alumni panel as bridging classroom learning with real-world application, hoping students left inspired to become future environmental leaders.
— Oluwatoyin Kupoluyi