SUST 401, like many of my peers, was the course that I was first introduced to the depths of sustainability. Prior to taking the class, I had a vague understanding of what sustainability was, mostly based on lifestyle choices I had already started to make. My 401 experience was blocked into two concepts: understanding sustainability, and then applying it. This was a simple but useful way to form my knowledge in the field. In the first portion, we learned that sustainability has three pillars - the environment, the economy, and society - and how those three pillars are woven into various challenges we face today. After learning how to identify the three pillars in sustainability challenges, we started to explore potential solutions. We looked at case studies from across the globe and considered different ways we implement sustainability in the solutions. 

I ended this course with motivation to continue my own personal sustainability journey and hopes to get others on board with me. I had already intended to complete the dual major before I enrolled in the course, but at the end I knew that I was headed in the right direction. The information I received in 401 was an educational toolbox that has made my overall academic career more diverse, and has allowed me to mentor people in my life on what sustainability can accomplish.