Of all the colleges Marjorie McWilliams ’22 considered, ̽̽ (̽̽) most enticed her with its surrounding landscape—from the Green Mountains to Lake Champlain—in which to study the environment. She found her niche in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and its Natural Resources major.
Outdoor activities became a part of Marjorie’s life at a young age when she began hiking and exploring the wilderness of national parks with her father. She enjoyed being outside and desired hands-on, physical work. In high school, she interned with the Wilton Land Trust in her Connecticut hometown and discovered a connection between her passion for the outdoors and the potential for a career in the natural sciences.
In her major, she chose to concentrate in Natural Resource Planning.
“I learned about the ecology of the natural world, but I was also able to take courses in sociology, geography, and political science to help me understand how the natural world relates to people and communities,” said Marjorie, who minored in Community and International Development.
“I’m interested in the nexus of environment, sustainability, and community development,” she said. “I want to have a profession that allows me to be part of solutions that improve peoples’ lives.”
A course in ecological economics taught by Professor Joshua Farley, of the ̽̽ Department of Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE), opened her eyes to the study of economics through the lens of ecology.
“The ways we traditionally measure economic systems don’t really work when you include climate change or social and environmental inequities,” said Marjorie. “I liked learning about ecological systems in a more objective way.”
After her junior year, a Rubenstein School Perennial Summer Internship with bridged a connection among ecology, agriculture, and community for Marjorie. The nonprofit is a partnership among Burlington and Winooski city departments and organizations, including the , which works to foster a local food economy.
At the Intervale Center, Marjorie and two other interns, Nora Laymon ‘22 and Libby Rhodes ‘23, planted native trees to restore ecosystems, assisted with the Fair Share Program to provide free produce to local families, and put their heads together to devise ways to manage invasive plant species. They used goats to graze the unwanted vegetation and prepared dishes from invasive Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, and wild grape, to share with people when they picked up their produce.
“I found the most joy in helping with the Fair Share CSA,” said Marjorie. “It reinforced for me that interfacing with community is what makes a job rewarding. I got to welcome people coming to pick up the food that we worked so hard to grow and harvest.”
Through CDAE, Marjorie found an opportunity to intern with the Vermont Council on World Affairs and became immersed in international diplomacy. She wrote project proposals to connect people in Vermont with international groups, such as subsistence farmers in Guatemala. She helped to bring people from across borders together with similar interests and goals, from female-owned business empowerment to mitigation of bio-hazards on farms.
Her passion for community development prompted her to participate for two years in ̽̽ Alternative Spring Break. With a group of students, she traveled to Macon, Georgia to build wheel chair accessible ramps in communities and then led a trip to Baltimore to help combat food insecurity by volunteering at kitchens, warehouses, and community gardens. As a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity on campus, Marjorie organized volunteer opportunities in the Burlington community for her fraternity cohorts.
While a student building manager at the Davis Student Center on campus, Marjorie used her people skills to manage events and respond to inquiries at a welcome desk. With an interest in communications, she took nine elective credits in English and writing, and for two years, she wrote for the Vermont Cynic, ̽̽’s longtime, student-run newspaper.
After graduation, Marjorie will head to Seattle where she has a seasonal job lined up as a naturalist tour guide with Evergreen Escapes. Drawing from her roots and hiking experiences with her father, she will lead people on hikes on Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and in Olympic National Park. Following this experience, she has set her sights on a position with the Washington Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps program that creates future leaders through community involvement and mentorship.