Throughout her four years at Union College in Schenectady, New York, Lauren Stebbins has been an advocate for environmental practices within the college community. In recognition of her efforts, Lauren — a member of Westover’s Class of 2017 — was presented with the Student Sustainability Leadership Award at the 2020 State of New York Sustainability Conference.

The online conference, organized by the New York Coalition for Sustainability in Higher Education was a virtual gathering Dec. 2-4 for students, faculty, and staff from more than 70 colleges around New York, offering workshops and discussions reflecting the conference’s theme: “Moving Forward in an Upside-Down World: Building Resilience, Adaptation and Opportunity.”

Lauren, a biology and political science interdepartmental major from Westbrook, Connecticut, was recognized for leading a number of Union campus projects and initiatives focused on sustainability. They include the installation of a new display case in Union’s Wold Center that identifies the dangers associated with “fast fashion” — inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. Lauren has also helped organize the distribution of 500 reusable tote bags around campus and a campus-wide fall cleanup that followed social distancing rules.

In 2019, Union presented Lauren with a Presidential Green Grant, which was used to install signs warning of pollution concerns along the Hans Groot Kill as it flows through the campus.

At Union, Lauren co-chairs U-Sustain, a group of students, faculty, and staff that oversees sustainability initiatives and educates the campus community about ways to live, work, and enjoy the college in the most eco-friendly and sustainable way possible. She also is the manager of Ozone House, one of the college’s theme residences for students who promote environmental awareness and sustainable living.

For her senior thesis, Lauren is investigating the relationship between the ecosystem of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve — an extensive pine barrens just a few miles from the Union campus — and the regional communities that surround it.

Now in the process of applying to law school for next fall, Lauren plans to pursue a career in environmental public interest law.

She credits her time at Westover as setting the foundation for her college studies and career path.

“It was the interdisciplinary nature of my education at Westover,” Lauren recalled. “I was a WISE (Women In Science and Engineering) student, so I had both the engineering and hard science courses, along with the humanities.” Many of her classes at Westover approached topics from a blended point of view, she explained, examining social concerns through an informed, scientific approach.

That balance, Lauren noted, fits in well with her choice of a career. “I want to be an environmental lawyer,” Lauren said, which would combine her knowledge of science with her commitment to social justice.

While she was a student at Westover, Lauren said, the Rasin Center for Global Justice had just been established and was beginning to introduce programming that examined a range of concerns — including the environment — that also provided opportunities for her and other students for experiences outside the classroom.

Lauren recalled that Kate Truini ’10 was her dorm parent while Kate also served as the Rasin Center’s Sustainability Coordinator.

“I remember having impassioned discussions about social justice in Kate’s apartment at night. I am usually a quiet person,” she added with a laugh, “but that is probably where I spoke the loudest in my daily life.”

And, Lauren pointed out, Westover was also where she had her first leadership position, having been elected as Second Head of School for her senior year. That role, she said, gave her the confidence and experience to serve as a leader for several environmental organizations at Union.

“It was gratifying to be able to foster that same sense of community involvement in college that I had in high school,” Lauren added.

Not surprisingly, Lauren was delighted when she heard the news that a fellow Westover alumna — Brenda Mallory ’75 — has been nominated by President-elected Joseph Biden Jr. to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Lauren still thinks about Westover often and remains close to a group of friends who were her classmates — “We Zoom all the time,” she said. In fact, she added, a number of them are either pursuing environmental studies or remain active in support of environmental causes.

As a result, Lauren said: “I am constantly being reminded of so many ways that you can be involved in the environment and the climate agenda. You can choose all these different paths.”