On February 9th, 2016, Chatham University’s Falk School of Sustainability and Net Impact Chapter were pleased to host guest speaker Miriam Parson‘ 14, a former alumna from Chatham’ s Masters of Sustainability (MSUS) Program. Miriam is a program manager at the Student Conservation Association (SCA). She has over eight years of experience in leading sustainability, community development, policy, and service-learning projects. Miriam believes strongly in the power of networks and collaboration as an effective way to accomplish sustainability-oriented goals. Currently, she leads SCA’ s Green Cities Corps Program in Pittsburgh, where she manages Sustainability Fellows who collaborate with strategic partners in the city of Pittsburgh to help increase citywide sustainability.
In her presentation “How to get your Sustainability Career Started,” Miriam inspired students by discussing her career path and providing advice for eager students. When asked of her best career advice for Masters students, Miriam exclaims:“ The classic career advice which states that ‘pathways are fluid and what you make of them,’ is absolutely true. I create my impact from within the platform that I find myself in, rather than searching for a direct and perfect career placement.” Miriam believes it is important to be able to incorporate sustainability in any job position. Searching for a job position is much wider than the degree earned, Miriam explains: “ it’s about the project skills and wider experience that you offer, with sustainability as an added value.”
Sustainability has always been an important component in Miriam’ s life, so she views it as “ a malleable platform for my life’ s work that centers around building equity.” She encourages students to consider how their values, purpose, and mission align with a particular organization or position, as well as taking geography, family, partners, and skills into account. Further, Miriam emphasizes that students should always focus on their strengths whether they are preparing for an interview or working in a team: “ Weaknesses are irrelevant. Let’ s not waste time on them. Instead, invest in your strengths!”
“What is it that you want to contribute to the world, and how can sustainability offer pathways and leverage points for you to be effective?”
Miriam also highlighted the importance of networking, though it may seem daunting to students. Her tips on networking and interviewing advice include:
- Ask people about their own career story and what they recommend—people love talking about themselves!
- Offer to grab a casual cup of coffee with a professional to learn more about their organization and what they see on the horizon in your city/region/field
- Know your elevator speech. It is important to know exactly what you are looking for in a career and how to say it simply.
- Ask questions in an interview, especially about the company’ s mission and culture to determine where you fit within the company. Interviewing is mutual!
Another practical piece of advice that Miriam included in her presentation was to have continual side jobs and volunteering experiences to help build a strong portfolio of project experiences. She noted that at the SCA, “ that is what we hire for, not which classes you got an A in.” And although grades are important, “the more project experience that one has, the more that helps build-up your network, and your network is what you leverage to get sustainability work done,” advises Miriam.
For students who are interested in sustainability and are seeking hands-on opportunities to exercise their professional strengths, the SCA offers many amazing opportunities to get paid project experience across a wide range of environmental fields. They offer internships, fellowships, and permanent positions in all 50 states, where both current and graduating students can further develop their skills and grow their professional network.
This presentation by Miriam Parson is one of many opportunities for students in Chatham’s MSUS/MBA program to develop professional networking skills as well as learn about potential career opportunities. Chatham University’s Falk School of Sustainability Master of Sustainability program, in partnership with Chatham’s MBA program, prepares graduates for sustainability management and leadership positions across all sectors including business, government, and non-governmental organizations.
