Program Highlighted | Environmental Studies
Introduction by | Dr. Beth Savan
Interview with | Laura Evangelista
Date | November 2000

Interview | Laura Evangelista

Laura is an Innis College fourth year Environmental Studies student.

Innis: Would you introduce yourself?
Laura: My name is Laura Evangelista and I am a fourth-year student at Innis College. I am doing a Major in Environmental Studies and a Major in Environment and Resource Management.

Innis: What attracted you to study Environmental Studies?
Laura: Well, between my first and second year of studies I took some time off to travel. It was during this time that I became more aware of environmental issues and I also realized I wanted to study the environment when I got back to school. During my time off I also got to travel to the developing countries and I saw some of the inequalities between our world and the developing world. This is when my interest in Environmental Studies began.

Innis: Given that there are so many programs offered by the Faculty of Arts and Science, how did you decide to pursue this program? What role did advice/influence from peers, mentors, relatives, and others play in your decision?
Laura: I started out by looking in the course calendar and looking through all the different programs that were offered. Environmental Studies appealed to me most. After I decided that this course appealed to me most, I spoke with the academic advisor to discuss program options. The academic advisor was definitely an excellent resource to discuss the different courses I could take, courses I have already taken and to also go over the distribution requirement. That's how I made my choice on the program.

Innis: How would you rate the facilities and opportunities offered by this program in the University of Toronto?
Laura: I think the resources offered by Environmental Studies are very good. One of the main things I want to stress is the small class size, which definitely gives students the opportunity to receive more personal attention from professors. Especially when compared with other programs at the university where classes are large. The professional experience course gives student an excellent opportunity to develop contacts with future employers.

Innis: What aspect(s) of this program do you find fascinating or inspiring - curriculum, professors, practical experience, field courses, etc.?
Laura: It is a combination of quite a number of things. First of all, as I've mentioned earlier, I like the small class sizes because you not only get personal attention, but it also gives students opportunities for discussion, which I think, is very important. As well, presentations are always a core aspect of the course requirement. This is really good because it helps students get over the fear of public speaking. The professors are excellent in this program and they all have other jobs, which is good in a sense because they bring in knowledge from the professional world. And they can link theory with what is happening and this is good from a student perspective. Another excellent aspect of the curriculum is the professional experience in this course. This gives the student a glimpse of what life will be like, after graduation, in different jobs and in different sectors.

Innis: Of all the courses in this program that you have taken so far, which one did you enjoy the most, and why?
Laura: That would have to be the professional experience course. I know I have mentioned this a few times. I am working at the Canadian Environmental Defense Fund. This has given me greater insight into working at a non-governmental organization. It's an excellent opportunity. Speaking with other classmates in my program they all feel the same way. There aren't many programs that offer this excellent co-op opportunity. I also found INI220Y interesting. That is the introductory level course which gives students a broad perspective on different environmental issues.

Innis: Are there things that you might have done differently while completing this program? Would you have chosen another area to complement this one? What are some things that you wish you had known before?
Laura: Not really. I am doing a double major in the Environmental Studies offered at Innis College's and the Environmental Resource Management program offered by the Geography Department. I feel that the two programs complement each other quite well. However, I wished I have learned more about the International Development Studies program offered at Scarborough because I think I would have enjoyed some courses they have to offer. Besides that, I am quite happy with the choices I've made.

Innis: What suggestions do you have on how this program might be improved for other students?
Laura: Well, I think the way the curriculum is set-up now is good. I think it can be improved if professors can place more emphasis on independent studies, because that would complement core courses, or make independent studies a requirement. I think independent study courses are excellent for improving students' research abilities. Based on my personal perspective I think it would be interesting if some of the courses explored environmental issues based on developing countries more so than they do right now.

Innis: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone who is interested in pursuing this program?
Laura: I would recommend for students to ask questions. I think that you can speak to the academic counselors, as well as speak to the program directors of the environmental program. You can also speak to any of the professors because they are all very open and knowledgeable. I think they are able to steer people in the right directions, so try not to be shy. The other thing I would recommend is to volunteer. I think that in the environment field non-governmental organizations have ample opportunities where students can volunteer a few hours a week and I think it would help students identify their interests since the field is so large.

Innis: As a student in this field, I am sure you have researched the job market. What kinds of employment opportunities are there? What types of jobs are you interested in obtaining in the future? What steps are you taking to assist you in achieving these goals?
Laura: I haven't researched the job market because I am planning to go to graduate school. So, I'm actually just researching the different graduate programs I'm interesting in. However, through speaking to other people, I hear that there are jobs available in different sectors; in the private sector; government and non-government organization. So it depends on where your interest lies - there are a variety of different opportunities for jobs.

Innis: You are co-chair of the WUSC program. For those who aren't familiar with the functions of WUSC give a brief description of WUSC. What skills do you gain from being co-chair of WUSC?
Laura: Well WUSC is the "World University Services of Canada". It's an international development non-governmental organization. They have a few different programs. They have a development worker program where they place people into two-year placements in developing countries in different fields such as health education, environmental and so forth. They also have student programs. One of their programs is a twelve-week student field internship. They also have shorter six week research internships. Both take place during the summer. WUSC also has a student refugee program where universities across Canada sponsor students who want to continue their studies. When they are here their tuition is waived, their residence fees are paid and they can continue to live here as landed immigrants. So, it's an excellent opportunity to be involved in this program. Along with one other student, I am responsible for implementing this program here at Innis College. We are responsible for selecting the student and doing an orientation session to help him/her become familiar with Toronto. We have this year sponsored a student from Afghanistan. Afterwards we just provide support for the student if there are any questions he might have and basically try to increase awareness of WUSC on campus. I think that not a lot of people are aware of the program right now and it hasn't been very popular over the years. I have been learning a lot about WUSC by being a part of it.

Innis: Through the WUSC program you went to Africa for a summer internship. Describe your experience and how it relates to your area of study.
Laura: As I have mentioned earlier, one of the programs WUSC offers is a student program. I was accepted to go on a twelve-week internship. Originally I was supposed to go to Zimbabwe, but because of the political conflict I had to switch my internship. I ended up going to Swaziland. I was doing community outreach work with a youth group trying to motivate them, reorganize them, and do a needs assessment. This really doesn't relate exactly to the environment. My original internship had far more to do with the environment, but because of the political situation in Zimbabwe I had to switch. But it was still international development, which I'm definitely interested in. It was just an excellent opportunity to have a cross-cultural experience. The WUSC program is not a requirement for the Innis College Environmental Studies program, it's just something that I did separately from my program. I think it would probably be of interest to many people who are studying the environment.

Innis: On behalf of Innis College I would like to thank you for coming out and lending us your time.
Laura: Your welcome.

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