ASU sustainability grad pursues environmental justice, youth education and community empowerment
Graduating this May with a Bachelor of Science in sustainability from the College of Global Futures and Barrett, The Honors College, Katie Spreitzer has been named the spring 2024 outstanding undergraduate for the School of Sustainability.
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2024 graduates.
Katie Spreitzer’s path to sustainability started with her love for animals.
Initially wanting to be a veterinarian, she researched extensively into dietary choices and environment while in high school. This led her to pursue a sustainable lifestyle and a sustainability degree at Arizona State University in hopes of enacting meaningful changes for the future.
She will graduate this May with a Bachelor of Science in sustainability from the College of Global Futures and Barrett, The Honors College. Spreitzer has also been named the spring 2024 outstanding undergraduate for the School of Sustainability.
Enrolled in an accelerated degree program, she expects to graduate next May with a Master of Sustainability Solutions (MSUS), completing both degrees in four years.
During her time at ASU, Spreitzer has focused her time working on sustainability practices and community engagement.
“My journey learning about environmental equality has shed light on other social justice issues and ways that I can get involved to bring more awareness and empathy for these challenges,” she said.
Her experiences include working as a "solutioneer" at GreenLight Solutions, a course facilitator for SOS 201 (Introduction to Sustainability) and a member of Campus Student Sustainability Initiatives at ASU. She was also featured in AZ Family for her podcast “Tackling the College Life,” which she co-produced with close friend Melanie Murphy.
Spreitzer is passionate about environmental education for youth and mitigating environmental injustice in marginalized communities. Lacking climate lessons in her K–12 program motivated her to design sustainable educational materials with high school students for her Barrett Honors thesis.
Her project, titled “Co-designing Sustainability Learning Innovations to Support Youth to Engage in Real Work with Real Consequences,” was supervised by Michelle Jordan, associate professor for the School of Complex Adaptive Systems, and Janna Goebel, assistant professor for the School of Sustainability.
“When our youth understand and appreciate nature, they are more willing to support its environmental systems,” Spreitzer said.
She currently works as a page at the Arizona Senate, an opportunity she discovered through the School of Sustainability’s newsletter. In this role, she assists local lawmakers and gains insight into proposed legislation. This experience inspired her to pursue a concurrent master’s degree in public policy, in addition to her studies in sustainability solutions, to learn about creating impactful environmental policies.
“My expertise in these fields will enable me to create effective climate solutions through efficient, inclusive and comprehensive legislation,” Spreitzer said.
After graduation, she aims to work in the public sector, focusing on developing innovative climate solutions and researching federal climate challenges and mitigation methods.
“When it comes to my future, I have high ambitions and believe that if I dedicate myself to these goals, I have the additional support and resources to be successful,” Spreitzer said.
“I am determined to share with others how important sustainability is for the future of our society and showcase innovative solutions to these climate crisis issues.”
We spoke with the new graduate about her ASU journey.
Question: Why did you choose ASU?
Answer: I chose ASU because of the incredible sustainability program offered by the College of Global Futures. With this program, I would get access to experiential learning opportunities, cutting-edge research and the opportunity to network with other remarkable sustainability students and faculty. Additionally, I love the emphasis on diversity and inclusion at ASU. When seeing the campus for the first time, I realized I needed a college that would value its academic excellence and the diversity of its students, something that ASU truly embodies.
Q: How do you incorporate principles of sustainability into your daily life and personal practices?
A: This major is more than an academic pursuit; it is a lifestyle. My efforts to be conscious of the environment follow me in all aspects of my life. Some ways that I practice sustainability in my everyday life are by heavily reducing my meat intake, taking public transportation to work and sharing my other smaller, sustainable habits with my friends and family. I hope my friends and family recognize my dedication to maintaining a sustainable lifestyle, and this dedication sparks a chain reaction of events that will lead us toward a more environmentally sound future. Overall, collective efforts, even on a smaller scale, are necessary to have monumental outcomes in the sustainability field.
Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?
A: I have learned many things throughout my college experience, but the most personally impactful is how untraditional life can be. Even before attending college, there were direct paths to take that should be followed to reach some level of success. Throughout my college experience, I have met many diverse people from all walks of life who have shown me that life is not conventional in any way, shape or form. For my own journey, college has acted as a way for me to reach my future goals and has taught me to have control over measuring success on my own terms. Before starting college, I was scared about the future, but now, I am excited for wherever life takes me!
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: My biggest piece of advice for those interested in pursuing a profession in sustainability or an entirely different field is to try new things, especially those outside of your comfort zone! This mindset is one of the most informative ways to gain a fresh perspective and an understanding of personal passions in new hobbies or careers.
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