This summer, senior Izaak Herman was able to take an unpaid internship through the Toxics Action Center in New Hampshire due to receiving financial help through the Glass Internship Program. His internship at the environmental advocacy organization led him to researching and writing a zero-waste report for the small town of Bethlehem, NH. The end product is a 25 page report that serves as a jumping off point for Bethlehem to take steps towards zero waste by providing environmentally and economically beneficial ways of managing its waste.

“I’ve learned a lot more on how to take more solution-based approaches rather than solely critiques,” Herman said. “Additionally, I've solidified my understanding that solutions to issues need to be very place based, and there is no universal solution for all places,” noting that popular research on zero waste policies in San Francisco didn’t lend itself well to his locale.

While Herman initially heard about the organization from Geography Professor Ingrid Nelson, he looked them up himself to see if they had any open internship positions, a tactic he recommends for other majors looking for an experience tailored to their interests. He also suggests taking on internships or volunteer positions that approach your particular passion in different ways, like a direct-service organization versus one geared towards research and campaigning, as well as “tell professors your interest and see if they know of an organization that would match that.”
Herman plans to graduate early in December 2018 and would like to intern again, either at Toxics Action Center or a similar organization, with his eventual plan being to go to graduate school to pursue his interest in environmental and social advocacy.