On Friday, March 1st the All Ivy Environmental and Sustainable Development Career Fair marked its tenth year, with a resounding message that there are jobs for students looking for career opportunities in sustainability. Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale teamed up once again to host the fair at the Columbia University in New York City.
This year’s turnout was higher than any year prior, with 74 recruiting organizations and over 1000 students in attendance. Over the past ten years, these eight Ivy League schools have collaborated to bring organizations together with highly qualified undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D level students who have the multi-faceted, practical skills necessary to address the complex sustainability challenges facing our global economy. Dr. Steven Cohen, Executive Director of the Earth Institute, highlighted the unparalleled access to students that recruiters get at the fair, “We have an impressive list of government agencies, non-profit organizations and private companies represented at the fair this year. As the green economy continues to grow, recruiters are taking notice of the top talent coming out of Columbia’s and the other Ivy League schools’ programs in sustainability science, policy and management.”
Since the career fair’s inception, thousands of students from a diverse array of environmental and sustainability fields of study— with focuses on engineering, management, science and communication among others— have connected with representatives from organizations across sectors. “There are several companies here that are focusing on precisely the kind of work I want to do with my degree,” said student Jeremy Capungcol, a graduate student in Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sustainability Management. “It’s a great opportunity to be able to speak to each of them in one place.”
Throughout the day, the auditorium was packed with students eager to introduce themselves to recruiters. As Peter Otis, Director of Career Development at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and a founding partner of the All Ivy Career Fair, walked through the busy aisles he remarked, “I am thrilled. It’s amazing how the All Ivy Career Fair has evolved from its initial conception over ten years ago to the event we have today.”
This year, the All Ivy Career Fair hosted three breakout sessions focused on hot career paths associated with the environment and sustainability. Speakers included: Kevin Doyle, Principal at Green Economy, who discussed clean energy career opportunities; Josh Galperin, Associate Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, who offered insight into the difference between careers in environmental law and environmental policy; and JD Capuano, co-Founder and co-CEO of Closed Loop Advisors and alum of Columbia’s M.S. in Sustainability Management program, who talked to students about entrepreneurship and start up culture in the sustainability space. JD also participated as a recruiter at the career fair and wrapped up the busy day saying, “I was really pleased with the level of engagement from candidates at the All Ivy Fair. The Fair was a valuable use of time for us at Closed Loop Advisors to find immediate help, candidates for summer interns, and potential hires as our company grows. The hardest part is going to be choosing between the highly qualified candidates! We’re looking forward to next year.”
A list of the 2013 All Ivy Career Fair recruiting organizations that attended this year, as well as the academic programs that participated in the All Ivy Career Fair’s online promotional opportunities, can be found here.
For more information about the All Ivy Environmental and Sustainable Development Career Fair, please contact Davida Heller, Manager of Corporate Relations at The Earth Institute at dheller@ei.columbia.edu or 212-851-9363.
