Thiel College Vira Heinz Scholarship winners present ideas to improve campus sustainability

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Three students who were the most recent recipients of the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship for Women in Global Leadership, presented to the Thiel College community about integrating sustainablilty recently.

Through their presentation, Paige Long ’24, who studied in Austria, Jasmine Phillips ’23, who studied in Spain, and Allison Walsh ’24, who studied in Ireland, wanted to introduce how sustainability was presented during their international experiences. Despite traveling to and studying in different countries, their experiences regarding sustainability were very similar, but starkly contrasted what they had seen in the United States.

“We wanted to offer options to become a more sustainable campus,” Phillips said.

During the presentation, Long, Phillips, Vergnola, and Walsh introduced a number of sustainable products and alternatives to the many unsustainable items that are commonly used in American society. They also discussed methods of incorporating sustainability on campus like other schools in the area have have started to do. The scholarship recipients handed out gift bags stocked with sustainable products including stainless steel straws and bamboo toothbrushes following their presentation.

The Vira I. Heinz Scholarship for Women in Global Leadership is offered to women with at least a 3.0 GPA, who have never traveled outside of the United States previously. Thiel College is one of 14 colleges included in the program. Recipients take classes or have an intensive internship in the country of their choosing.

Funded by the Heinz Endowments, the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership prepares women for tomorrow’s global challenges by offering a unique opportunity for international experiences, leadership development and community service. Each year, Thiel College is awarded three or four scholarships of at least $5,000 each to support student participation in this program.

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