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Meet Student Sustainability Blogger Emily Smith van Beek

January 10, 2013

Meet Student Sustainability Blogger Emily Smith van Beek

By Emily Smith van Beek

Sustainability Blogger 

My name is Emily Smith van Beek. I am a student in the International Support Worker (ISW) program. I graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Arts, including a double major in Political Science and Sociology and a minor in Film Studies. I am a socio-political junkie, advocating on behalf of social justice issues and human rights. I am also an aspiring film director/screenwriter/international development worker, and perhaps one day, the Prime Minister of Canada. 

When I graduated from Dalhousie, I was just another undergrad applying for any job I could get my hands on. I did not stand out in the international community. I chose to further my studies at Loyalist because the College’s one-year post-graduate ISW certificate program combines in-class learning with real life, hands-on experiences. It is the only one of its kind in Canada. 

For me, the selling point was the internships, which will provide me with opportunities I could never have dreamed of before. The international internships will be my gateway to a career in the international development and humanitarian sector. Through a group internship in Chiapas, Mexico and a second, individual internship in Gambia, I will learn how to build capacity and strong, sustainable communities around the world. The new knowledge I acquire through experiential fieldwork will make me a stand-out candidate for rewarding job opportunities in international development. 

My passions lie in working to empower women worldwide, specifically within Sub-Saharan Africa, to alleviate poverty through education and eliminate the HIV/AIDS pandemic. I strongly believe in long-term, sustainable and measurable development, and that is why I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a face and social presence on Loyalist’s new sustainability site! 

When we hear the word ‘sustainable,’ the most common association is with the environment; but sustainability is a much broader term than that. I’m hoping you’ll continue to follow me and join my conversations on environmental, social and cultural sustainability as I travel through Latin America and Africa! I am excited to touch on subjects like food security, sustainable and organic farming, environmental issues, community building, international travel, and so much more! Check back weekly for my updates. I hope to hear from you too in the comment section below.

Emily 




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