Leah Morrissey won Sustainable Carolina’s Earth Day t-shirt design contest. This is the second year we’ve hosted the contest. This year, we asked students to submit designs under the theme, “sustainable communities.”
What are you studying at Carolina (major/minor)? What made you want to study these subjects in college?
I am an English major concentrating on creative writing, and I have a minor in studio art. I also plan to add a minor in environmental science. I started out as an environmental studies major, but I ultimately decided to switch to English to suit my skills as a writer. I also consider myself an artist so I decided to minor in art, and after studying environmental studies for the first two years of my undergraduate career, I wanted to keep the subject as a minor because it is still important and interesting to me.
You were one of the students featured in the story, Desperately Seeking Salamanders. The article mentions that before studying abroad at the Highlands Field Site, you didn’t have a lot of fieldwork experience. What did you learn about fieldwork and yourself during your semester in the Highlands?
My experience at the Highlands Field Site was one of the best in my life. I learned how to conduct fieldwork and design research projects and methods with my colleagues. My time spent out in the field reminded me of how much I loved spending time outside, and also of how much I missed the experimental, hands-on side of learning.
In addition to your studies, you are also an intern for the North Carolina Collaboratory. What made you want to intern for this group? What have been your favorite parts of the internship?
I actually met my supervisor Steve Wall, the outreach director for the NC Collaboratory, at an event while I was in Highlands. We discussed my research and he introduced me to the Collaboratory and its purpose/mission. I had never even considered policy work, yet I’ve found that my work with the Collaboratory has allowed me to combine my love for writing and environmental work. My position consists mostly of conducting online research, drafting reports, and creating interactive multimedia content for informing the public on Collaboratory projects. My favorite parts of the internship have been the topics that I’m learning about through my research, and the work environment itself which has been extremely welcoming and flexible.
For this year’s Earth Day t-shirts, we asked students to create a design under the theme, “sustainable communities.” What inspired your design?
When thinking about this year’s theme, my first thought was green city designs, and how in many ways, some cities have changed more and more in recent years to become more climate-conscious and environmentally friendly. As I began creating the design, though, I realized that I should be thinking on a larger scale as well, to show how whether it is in a neighborhood, town, city, the entire world is a community, and how ultimately, we are all becoming more aware of the need for sustainability.
What does Earth Day mean to you?
To me Earth Day serves as a reminder for why we should give back to the environment, and what each of us can do to help create and maintain a healthier planet. It also serves as a means for celebration, to be proud of how much we have accomplished so far, and how much more progress we can look forward to in the future.
As your junior year comes to an end, what are you most looking forward to in your senior year?
For my senior year I am most looking forward to just spending my last year enjoying campus life and traditions. There are always amazing events and activities to participate in on campus almost every day, so I hope to spend more time participating in those as well. I also have some more flexibility in my schedule so I’m planning on taking some fun classes!
In one sentence, what advice do you have for the Carolina class of 2028?
Don’t be afraid to change the plan, taking a chance on a new experience might be the best decision you ever make.