Environmental studies (ENVS) is the academic component of the Bailey COE. Offered as a linked major or minor, ENVS current and past students hail from almost every single department and program Wesleyan has to offer: from government, art, and chemistry to economics, English, and earth and environmental sciences to film studies, sociology, and biology. Meet some of our 40 ENVS class of 2025 majors below!
Hi, my name is Pema Cunnyngham-Mansfield (she/her), I am a dance and environmental studies major and I am from the Bay Area in California. I have always been passionate about the environment and was drawn to environmental studies by how the department truly embraces interdisciplinary study, allowing me to explore the intersection between the environment and my other areas of interest, including dance, ethics, and social and feminist theory.
Some of my favorite Wesleyan classes have been Christianity and Sexuality with Professor Rubinstein, Environmental Philosophy with Professor Springer, and Delicious Movement: Time is Not Even, Space is Not Empty with Eiko Otake. On campus, currently I am mainly involved with Sunrise Wesleyan and the dance group Collective Motion. My capstone is combined with my dance thesis which is investigating how dance can be used to put environmental theory into action. Within this, I am specifically focusing on contact improvisation as a tool for cultivating more ecological ways of knowing, being, and relating.
I’m Grace Arrese, a psychology and environmental studies double major and film studies minor. I’m originally from Westchester, New York, but my family moved to La Jolla, California, during my freshman year at Wesleyan. Since I was younger, I have always had a strong passion for environmental advocacy, especially with marine species. My passion grew during a community service trip to Australia where I witnessed the damage of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef.
A class that I found particularly interesting and empowering is Environmental Justice & Sustainability with Professor Abrell. The films we watched in class, such as A Fierce Green Fire, helped me better understand the history of advocacy and how environmental campaigners take action. On campus, I’m a writer for the Intercut Magazine, Wesleyan’s film magazine, as well as a member of the Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology. My capstone project will explore biocentric egalitarianism, a new paradigm for ecological responsibility. My exploration of this topic will be grounded in Paul Watson’s work as an environmental, conservation, animal rights activist.
Hello! I’m Eden Ho, a government and environmental studies double major from Singapore. Besides Singapore, I’ve called the U.K. and France home, and I’ll be moving to New York after graduation. The environmental studies major stood out to me for its lovely community of like-minded individuals passionate about intersectional change, and sustainability (especially through a community-centric approach) is something I’ve always wanted to explore since high school. I didn’t think I’d major in government here, but looking back on my embarrassing history of extensive pre-college Model UN and debate, it was a no brainer. Within the government major and international eelations concentration, I can gain perspective on the structure of political institutions, conflict, and development across the world, and, hence, insight into how systemic change can be made, sustained, and managed by diverse communities over time. With the two majors, I’ve felt like I could leverage the skills and perspectives needed to envision a future where degrowth and equity are the norm, instead of the exception. Climate change is the defining issue of our generation, and it is extremely important to me to be part of the solution.
One of my favorite classes here at Wesleyan was Public Health, Migration, and Human Rights, where we unpacked how human rights and public health has evolved over the decades through the lens of local, regional, and international contexts. As an environmental studies major, it was also incredibly refreshing to delve into new ideas and draw different connections between public health concepts and intersectional justice. I was also a big fan of how the class was taught and how discussion-heavy it was. It was very refreshing to hear others’ views and to be challenged on my own pre-conceived perspectives on the intersection of migration and human rights. On campus, I’m a committee member of the Wesleyan Green Fund, which supports sustainable initiatives on campus. It’s an entirely student-run committee that manages $90,000 per academic year, and students, faculty, and administration on campus can submit proposals for projects that help Wesleyan envision sustainable progress in varied forms. The Green Fund is honestly the best job I’ve ever had, even counting internships I’ve had off campus. It’s really exciting walking into a meeting every week and hearing about all sorts of cool things the community gets up to, and I get to foster practical idealism and cross-campus collaboration in the process. I also worked in the Sustainability Office as an Eco-Facilitator (now known as Environmental Fellows) as a sophomore, where I co-founded the Wesleyan Climate Kits distribution project in collaboration with Middletown organizations, which hopes to address the disparity between Wesleyan and the greater Middletown community’s abilities to respond to climate emergencies.
My capstone focuses on environmental justice education in the Singaporean public school system! Education is widely credited as a key driver of our country’s rapid economic progress, social cohesion, and effective nation–building. However, the Singaporean model of schooling is very focused on very specific and limited metrics of learning that people are now realizing need to change to reflect a world defined by environmental crises. The past decade of research has also witnessed a more diverse understanding of climate change education (CCE) as a mitigation and adaptation tool– especially at local levels. CCE is one of the most ethical and cost-effective approaches to dealing with climate change and capable of yielding ‘multiplier-effect’ returns as entire communities and families can disseminate knowledge to one another without significant intervention from governing bodies. In all, the alignment between Singapore’s statehood, public education, and momentum of youth climate action all make for an interesting case study of the Singaporean public school system. It’s honestly been very cathartic and important for me to write. I never had a climate education until I was 18, and before that I spent six years in Singaporean local schools, like most other citizens. I hope I can demystify the state of justice-driven climate change education in a national context, and through the capstone gain a deeper understanding of the sustainable development and future of my home.
Hi, I’m Eiley Doyle (she/her) and I’m a film and environmental studies major interested in environmental studies because the earth is a wonderful place. Two of my favorite classes at Wes are Sustainable Agriculture and Women Writing About Nature.
At Wes, I am on the ski team, in the clay club, and in a band. My capstone is a documentary about Wangunk elder and master potter Gary O’Neil.
My name is Abby Jacobs (she/her). I am an environmental studies and sociology double major from Fairfield, CT. I became interested in pursuing environmental studies when I was in high school, taking AP Environmental Science. As a part of the course, we built mini biodomes out of plastic bottles and observed our different plants, flies, and snails grow over time. It was beautiful and exciting to watch, and I knew that I wanted to work to protect the natural processes that make life happen in this way.
One class that was particularly influential for me at Wesleyan was The Health of Communities with Professor Peggy Carey Best. As a part of the course I served as a research assistant for the Community Health Center (CHC) throughout my junior year and into this past summer, which involved a project on patient satisfaction rates with and use of telemental health care. This was an invaluable opportunity to learn about healthcare issues and policy in the United States and gain research experience with a team from the CHC. Our culminating manuscript is going to be published soon in the journal of Telemedicine and e-Health! On campus, I work as a research assistant in the Assessment Lab, am currently Vice President of Rho Epsilon Pi, and play on the women’s club basketball team. Previously, I was also involved in the Bailey College of the Environment as a Food Justice Intern during the summer of 2023. I worked under the Middletown Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Manager/District Wellness Coordinator to facilitate the implementation of reusable serve ware in their cafeterias and in-school food pantries. My senior capstone paper explores Danish wind turbine cooperatives and the model’s potential for success in the U.S. in increasing community support for wind energy projects.
Hello, my name is Thomas Purello (he/him). I am an art studio and environmental studies major with a religion minor. I am from Gastonia, North Carolina, which is where my interest in the environment came from. I became interested in environmental studies because it seemed like a good place to learn about implementing sustainable practices in architecture which is where my passion lies. I want to work on designing affordable housing that has minimal impact on the environment in North Carolina at some point after college.
Here at Wesleyan, my architecture classes (both studio and art history) have been the most influential to me. They have helped me both refine my artwork while also teaching me many important things about the way buildings are designed and constructed including the implementation of sustainable practices. On campus, I find ways to combine my work and interests. People can find me working at Usdan dining hall and the CFA woodshop, and volunteering at Long Lane Farm. My thesis is focused on making wooden weapons and displaying them in the Zilkha gallery in May. I am trying to address questions regarding why we use violence as a form of play. This means making wooden weapons ranging from swords to wizard wands to guns and examining how different weapons change the way people play and interact with others.
Hi! My name is Sara Mangelsdorf (she/her), and I’m from Dallas TX. I’m majoring in neuroscience and environmental studies. It is difficult to pinpoint an event that defined my interest in environmental studies because I would say I grew up in a family where appreciation and awareness of one’s natural surroundings was a priority. My father especially has alway taught me that when you take an extra moment to track a bird’s flight pattern or squint your eyes to make out the faded smudge around a star, you might discover a small nest giving way to new life or rings of a planet you mistook as just another star. In these little details, my father impressed upon me the beauty of the natural world’s tiny moments and the importance of protecting them. So, when I arrived at Wesleyan, I naturally gravitated towards classes that continued to expand my knowledge of the small systems that support life all around me.
The classes that have been the most influential to me here at Wesleyan are Behavioral Neuroscience, Global Modern Political Thought, and Neotropical Ecosystems. On campus, I work in a lab under Fred Cohan studying bioremediation of plastics in soil using bacteria. We are currently working on publishing our first paper! I am also in Wesleyan’s all-women organization, Rho Ep, and I just debuted my first ballet performance in Wesleyan’s rendition of the Nutcracker! My thesis aims to use Sharon Krause’s theoretical framework of environmental domination to reveal the ways in which aerial fumigation of coca crops under Plan Colombia has been an example of both nonhuman and human domination.
My name is Arlette Aguilera (she/her), and I am from Phoenix, AZ. I am double majoring in earth & environmental sciences and environmental studies. In high school, I developed a strong interest in geology and environmental science. At Wesleyan, I was drawn to environmental studies because it allowed me to explore these subjects through both scientific and social science perspectives.
The most influential classes I’ve taken at Wes were Geobiology with Dana Royer and Energy and Modern Architecture, 1850-2020, with Joseph Siry. On campus, I am a part of the Sustainability Office, where I work as a Sustainability Strategic Plan Ambassador. In this role, I collaborate with the purchasing office in efforts to develop sustainable procurement policies. For my capstone, I will analyze offshore wind turbines’ ecological impacts during the construction and post-development processes.
My name is Marissa Clauburg. I’m a double major in environmental studies and music with a minor in animal studies. I am from Central Jersey (which does, indeed, exist). I became interested in ENVS as a result of my passion for the environment, as I believe we have an obligation to do the most we can to protect it. The most influential ENVS class I’ve taken was definitely ENVS284 Animal Law and Policy with Prof. Elan Abrell. Outside of the department, I was also fascinated by Prof. Lori Gruen’s PHIL368 Ethics of Captivity and grad student Anya Shatilova’s MUSC121 Queering Russian Music. On campus, I am the president of the Wesleyan Animal Defense League and director of the Cardinal Players Pep Band. I also try to do any Spike Tape pit orchestras and Outing Club events I can fit in my schedule. My thesis centers on the ethics of nonhuman animal domestication. I am working to establish a philosophical perspective from which to analyze our relationships with companion, farmed, working animals, and more.
My name is Laine Gorman and I’m an economics and environmental studies major from Washington, DC. I’ve been interested in the environment since I was young. As a kid you could often find me hiking, gardening, or reading lots of National Geographic books and magazines. Taking AP environmental science in my junior year of high school was the turning point when my interest in environmental issues became more serious. The curriculum wove the principles of environmental justice throughout, which allowed my passion for social justice to combine with my longtime interest in the environment. Environmental Law and Policy with Professor Earl Phillips has been by far my favorite Wesleyan class! This class gave me a comprehensive understanding of the complex origins and practice of environmental laws in the United States, and gave me the opportunity to apply and test this knowledge through creative assessments. Instead of the typical final exam, our performance was assessed through a mock hearing complete with a judge and zoning board. My team represented a fracking company and had the difficult task of determining how we could use federal, state, and local environmental laws to get approval for a fracking project in a fictional town with no permits. The other team played the role of concerned citizens attempting to halt our project. Over the two nights the hearing was held, we applied our knowledge through testimonies, cross examinations, objections, and opening and closing arguments, learning even more as we went. This experience challenged me in a number of ways, but also greatly increased my confidence in my abilities to close read, think outside of the box, and use verbal reasoning to present compelling arguments. I can confidently say that this course represented another turning point in my academic journey. It instilled in me a passion for environmental law, and with Professor Phillips’ help, gave me the confidence to pursue a career in this field. I work for Malana Rogers-Bursen (project coordinator for Food Justice and Security) as a community events and communications intern. My responsibilities mostly consist of creating promotional materials for community events and managing social media. I also work as a Sustainable Middletown intern under Jen Kleindienst, Wesleyan’s sustainability director. We work with local elected officials to pursue projects that enhance the environmental and social sustainability of Middletown. When not at the Sustainability Office, I also work as a peer tutor for the Economics Department! I’ll be writing my senior essay in the spring. I have yet to finalize a topic, but I’m leaning towards examining how patriarchy and the meat industry reinforce each other and what the implications are for the environment.
My name is Hannah Podol (she/her) and I am from Belmont, Massachusetts. I am really interested in how people connect with place, leading me to pursue a double major in anthropology and environmental studies. I think the most influential classes I have taken at Wesleyan would be a course on sustainable agriculture and a creative writing course about memory and memoir. I am involved in many activities on campus! To name a few, I participate in the Outing Club, Sunrise Wesleyan, the Green Fund, and Club Rock Climbing. For my senior capstone, I am writing about agency and locality in Ecuador, focusing on the four months I spent participating in a nonprofit that works to educate and restore land.
‘My name is Issie Kapner (she/her). I’m a CSS and ENVS double major, and I’m from Brookline, Massachusetts. I became really interested in addressing the climate crisis through activism in high school and pursued environmental studies in college to continue understanding this crisis and the nuances within creating a sustainable world. Homelands: Indigenous Worlds in North America taught by Professor Lennox and Liberalism and Its Discontents with Professor Kaye were both incredible classes that have really shaped my academic pursuits. Here on campus, I’m a part of Wes Food for Thought, a culinary organization. My thesis explores the ongoing legacy of the Oahe Dam within the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, focusing on how this hydraulic imperialism project has impacted present day land ownership as well as food accessibility on the reservation.
My name is Imani Carleigh-Rose Williams. I am originally from West Chester, Pennsylvania, but I recently moved to Fairfield County, Connecticut. My dad works in the offshore wind industry so I have always had a particular interest in the environment and environmental issues. The most influential class I’ve taken at Wes is Renewable Energy and Negative Emission Technologies/ENVS344, taught by Rosemary Ostfeld. At Wesleyan,I’m involved in journalism//my personal blog and the Caribbean Students Association. I am also a research assistant and ambassador to the Jamaica Diaspora. My capstone project is titled, “Making Environmental Injustice Visible, An Examination of Colonialism, Violence and Environmental Resilience.”
My name is Lydia Brutvan. I’m from New Paltz, NY. I was raised with an hyper-green lifestyle by my amazingly eco-conscious parents and grew up running around in the woods. It didn’t ever occur to me that I would ever want to do anything outside of the environmental field for my career, so environmental studies was the obvious next step for me after high school. Environmental Law and Policy with Earl Phillips was the class that solidified my desire to pursue a JD in environmental law after undergrad. Women Writing About Nature with Janice Nimura and Averting Catastrophe with Mark Eisner, which could not be any more different from each other, are two of the most fascinating classes I’ve taken here. I was a member of the women’s varsity swim team for the past three years, although I am not swimming competitively this year in the interest of transitioning to professional triathlon. I’ve played chamber music on campus every semester (shoutout Beethoven’s Brothel), and I’m involved in the Sustainability Office (currently as the coordinator of the EF program). For my capstone, I’m completing a policy analysis of conservation legislation in the twentieth century and its partisan implications.
My name is Safiya Sekkm-Miles. I am a sociology and environmental studies major. My interest in environmental studies has been there since I was a kid; I have always had a reciprocal bond with the environment! The most influential class I’ve taken at Wesleyan is Nature/Culture (ANTH215). At Wesleyan, I’m a Bailey COE intern, a Zilkha Gallery Intern, and the JCCP Coordinator of Cardinal Kids.