Discovering her passion for sustainability

In a world grappling with environmental challenges, the role of sustainability in business and policy-making has never been more critical. Enter Georgetown University’s MS in Environment and Sustainability Management program (MS-ESM), a cutting-edge educational journey that equips change-makers to address global sustainability issues head-on. 

Eleni Orfanos developed an interest in sustainability during her undergraduate studies. While her peers pursued interests in national security, foreign affairs, and diplomacy, Eleni “wanted to make a difference in everyone’s lives.” (01:21)

Eleni identified critical issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and food security as worsening problems that affect everybody. With a keen interest in debate, research, and logic, she knew the legal side of sustainability was where she could make the biggest impact. Eleni chose to join the first MS-ESM cohort to focus her expertise before starting her career. 

Georgetown University in Washington, DC, is the ideal place to turn a passion for sustainability into a tangible career path. “It’s a great city to be a young professional as well as a student,” Eleni says,” and it’s the center of all-around policy making for sustainability.” (00:50)

Eleni hasn’t waited for graduation to get involved. Working as a Paralegal at Kirkland & Ellis in the Environmental, Social, and Governance & Impact Practice Group, she is in a prime position to apply her skills and build experience.

Applying lessons from the sustainability management program

​As one of the key schools involved in the creation of this inaugural degree, Georgetown McDonough is well-regarded for the career opportunities it affords its graduates. When she applied for her current role at Kirkland & Ellis, Eleni recalls, “Georgetown really helped me in this position because I was able to reach out to an alum to help me prepare for the interviews as well as provide me a recommendation for a position.” (10:57)

In addition to the Georgetown network, the course itself helped Eleni secure her job. “The biggest comment they had when it came to reviewing my resume is just how important all the courses I was taking in this program were.” (10:34)

Eleni applies learnings from her master’s to her paralegal work, from advising attorneys to working on sustainability matters. She is in a promising position to secure a full-time job within the firm after graduation.

A closer look at the MS in Environment and Sustainability Management

The MS in Environment and Sustainability Management program provides a unique interdisciplinary approach to enable graduates to move into a broader range of careers. Georgetown McDonough collaborated with The Earth Commons Institute and The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for its development. 

Both the science and business of sustainability management are imparted through case studies providing insight into real-world sustainability issues. 

“It’s going to require integrated solutions, not just looking at science targets or supply chain operations management,” Eleni says. “You have to bring both together in order to have effective solutions.” The MS-ESM program is curated in this way so students like Eleni can make the maximum impact on global sustainability. (15:43)

Additionally, the university’s location in Washington, DC, attracts policymakers and world leaders to the school. Last semester, Pete Buttigieg, the US Secretary of Transportation, visited the campus to discuss sustainability within the Department of Transportation. (08:49)

Engaging with key figures in the field of sustainability offers a valuable outlet for students to expand their understanding. As a case in point, “Some of our classmates in the program who did a presentation on climate change impacts in Barbados got to speak with the Prime Minister to talk about what their findings were,” Eleni shares. (09:03)

Taken as a whole, Georgetown offers an ideal location for those passionate about environmental issues. And while the MS-ESM degree is new, the school has a foundational commitment to the environment and the greater good.

Creating community on the Georgetown campus

As a Jesuit institution, Georgetown emphasizes community-based values, such as “care for the common home and thought diversity”. These values naturally crossover with environmental, societal, and governance objectives. As Eleni explains, “It’s more so about creating care for everyone throughout all aspects of their life rather than just feeding into a religion. It’s more about moral values and bringing the community together.” (07:22)

As a result, the University boasts a vibrant community, spurred on by various activities outside the classroom. Some are open to all students, such as the Debate Team, while others are exclusive to the McDonough School of Business, like the Clean Tech and Energy Club and the Impact in Government and Business Alliance. 

The inclusive community for postgraduate students was another reason Eleni applied for the Environment and Sustainability Management program. “A lot of other programs I looked at seemed to lack community for grad students,” she notes. “Here at Georgetown, I’ve noticed that students across different levels are very integrated on campus, so we’re invited to all the same events that undergrads are.” (04:58)

With various clubs catering to her interests, Eleni fed her passion for the environment and law while benefiting from the often overlooked social element in master programs. For example, the McDonough School of Business frequently hosts sustainability-focused events attracting students from different programs. 

Now that she’s reaching the end, Eleni encourages others to join the interdisciplinary degree program because “Sustainability is not just about knowing environmental science, sustainable operations or policy or communication marketing; you have to have all those things.” (14:50)

Want to find out more about life and learning at Georgetown McDonough? Reach out to current students and alumni directly on the MASTERGRADSCHOOLS Ambassador page.