2023-2024 R.S.C Student Stewards 

I'm Jaden Adams, a third-year Architecture student at Tuskegee University from Clinton, Mississippi. I am the 2023-24 American Institute of Architecture Students Treasurer for the Tuskegee chapter. My hobbies include listening to music, chilling, and drawing in my free time. My interest in becoming an architect came from open-house Sundays with my mom after church. I fell in love with design for the freedom of creativity during the concept phase at the beginning of a project. What resilience means to me is when faced with adversity, instead of feeling defeated, you take the situation and turn it into a positive learning opportunity.

My name is Keeley Jock, and I am a senior studying Environmental Science at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Mountains, New York. My interests lie in botany, wetland ecology, and social sciences. Every day I strive to help my community and stay in good relation with the world by learning my Indigenous culture and celebrating our resilience. Resilience is to be strong and continue forward as you are when faced with hardships. If you have changed but still can be joyous for yourself, your community, and the planet, then you are surely resilient.

I am Medara Udoekong. I am a 19-year-old British Nigerian, I was born in Nigeria. I love nature, watching documentaries, travelling and learning about other cultures and playing chess, soccer and other sports. My passion is to help solve some of the world’s problems and helping people, using sustainable design, and designing systems that are just, equitable and sustainable. To me, resilience means the ability for something or someone to withstand strains and difficulty, that threaten, test or seek to harm the person or thing.

My name is Ryan Outler, I am a senior at Western Colorado University, studying Wildlife Biology with an emphasis in wildlife conservation. I enjoy anything outdoors, from running, cycling, and fishing to climbing and skiing. Recreation and conservation are my foundation for promoting sustainable and positive interactions with our land. My definition of resilience is the ability to maintain balance and a state of persistence through disturbance and adversity. The readiness to accept and take in change, adapt to new circumstances, and emerge stronger from challenges are equally essential to resilience.

My name is Ariah Mitchell and I am a senior at Paul Smith's College, completing a dual major in Communication (B.S.) and Environmental Studies (B.A.). I am a writing tutor and supplemental instructor for Ecology. In my free time, I love reading, writing, and creating art, and my career goal is to work in environmental communication and education regarding wetland ecosystems and their management. Resilience is the ability of an individual or organization to withstand change, and to learn and grow from adversity. A truly resilient entity is as flexible as ecosystems are complex.

Mina Aloria (Evergreen State College) is an intersectional justice educator, who focuses on action-oriented and multifaceted solutions to social problems. Their current studies emphasize deconstructing racial capitalism and its beneficiaries. Mina believes resilience is rooted in authenticity, community, and education.

My name is Ehud Enagbare, and I am from Lowell, Massachusetts. I belong to a large Nigerian family. Currently, I'm a junior at Paul Quinn College, majoring in Business Administration. Additionally, I hold the position of Co-President in our Campus Sustainability Initiative, known as the "Green Team." My aspirations include building generational wealth for my family's legacy.

My name is Helena Schwesinger, and I am a student at Eberswalde University in Germany. I grew up near the Alps, running around outside, always looking for the next adventure. The great outdoors and especially the woods have always been my happy place and I have always wanted to do my best to protect them. To do this, we need to build a resilient world. Being able to keep going despite all the challenges and hardships life throws at you. That is a quality we all need, now and even more so in the future.

My name is Julie Dinquel and I am a returning college student in the Sustainability Studies program at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois. I have always been fascinated with the Earth and all its remarkable, wondrous creatures. This unwavering passion has led me down the environmental road in school, and I am studying sustainability in hopes of being able to make a difference in the world as we mitigate and adapt to a changing climate and environment. Resilience is being able to recover quickly and adapt to changes or shocks that disrupt a system’s functioning. Sustainability and resilience can work together to prevent the effects of disasters or stressors and aid in sustainability’s objective of balancing the integration between environmental, social, and economic pillars.

My name is Sebastian Welter, and I am a Sophomore at Kansas Wesleyan University studying Biomedical Chemistry. My hobbies include lifting, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and playing with my two tortoiseshell cats, Miso, and Nori. Throughout my life, I have always found it quite interesting to utilize the knowledge I have learned in my classes and apply them to everyday actions and observations while exploring the real world! I believe that being able to converse with others about my thoughts, now with a focus on resilience, will be an enriching and important experience in my life. Resilience, to me, is defined as being able to leave a positive mark on the ecological environment and see the benefits and effects of sustainable practices in the community around me.