Colin O'Connor
We are called to restore
School of Environmental Sustainability
Colin O'Connor Environmental Policy Major
Commitment to sustainability and he isn’t looking back
By Rosie McCarty
Like many young people, Colin O’Connor wasn’t sure what he wanted to study in college. When he came to Loyola, however, environmental sustainability quickly began to shine through as a potential area of study.
“Environmental sustainability is one of the biggest issues here on campus,” O’Connor says. “Everybody at Loyola really cares about it, even if it’s not their major.”
The longer O’Connor spent on campus, the more impressed he became with Loyola’s commitments to bettering the environment—from the Loyola-produced BioSoap used in bathrooms to the greenhouse in the School of Environmental Sustainability (SES) building. At the end of his sophomore year, he declared a major in environmental policy within SES.
I really wanted to do something that I cared about and thought would make a difference. And that, for me, was environmental policy. Our program is really excellent at Loyola, so I figured I might as well go for excellence. Colin O'Connor, Environmental Policy major
After digging into his coursework within the environmental policy major—including an impactful class on the climate and the human effect on it—O’Connor has now begun looking to the future beyond Loyola.
“After I graduate, I want to be an advocate for environmental NGOs or maybe work for the EPA or for the government. And then at the end of my career, who knows? Maybe I can help advise corporations on how to do a better job at keeping this planet alive.
With a foundation from SES and Loyola, there’s no telling where O’Connor might end up.
Arrupe College
Lady Carrillo
Business Administration and Management
A first-generation college student capitalizes on resources and opportunity
Read Lady's Story
Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing
Radia Daud
Nursing
A nursing major's personal experience led her to address the health care needs of fellow refugees
Read Radia's Story
Quinlan School of Business
Trevaughn Latimer
Economics
An economics major leads for change
Read Trevaughn's storyBy Rosie McCarty
Like many young people, Colin O’Connor wasn’t sure what he wanted to study in college. When he came to Loyola, however, environmental sustainability quickly began to shine through as a potential area of study.
“Environmental sustainability is one of the biggest issues here on campus,” O’Connor says. “Everybody at Loyola really cares about it, even if it’s not their major.”
The longer O’Connor spent on campus, the more impressed he became with Loyola’s commitments to bettering the environment—from the Loyola-produced BioSoap used in bathrooms to the greenhouse in the School of Environmental Sustainability (SES) building. At the end of his sophomore year, he declared a major in environmental policy within SES.
After digging into his coursework within the environmental policy major—including an impactful class on the climate and the human effect on it—O’Connor has now begun looking to the future beyond Loyola.
“After I graduate, I want to be an advocate for environmental NGOs or maybe work for the EPA or for the government. And then at the end of my career, who knows? Maybe I can help advise corporations on how to do a better job at keeping this planet alive.
With a foundation from SES and Loyola, there’s no telling where O’Connor might end up.