President Raymond and Three Alums Talk Sustainability

Given Haverford's green arboretum setting, it is no surprise that the College's commitment to the environment and sustainability is foregrounded in Haverford 2030, its dynamic strategic plan. Rooted in the foundational Quaker values of stewardship, justice, equality, and social responsibility, the College has made impressive strides as it marches toward carbon neutrality and reinforces an academic experience that equips students to grapple with the ramifications of climate change, which the United Nations heralds as the "defining issue of our time."

For decades, the College has instilled within its students concern and respect for all of the communities they are part of, both social and ecological. Even before the creation of the interdisciplinary Bi-College Department of Environmental Studies, which has risen to become one of the most popular majors, Fords have been eager to embrace their role as stewards of the land. 

On October 9, three of them joined College President Wendy Raymond on Zoom for a discussion focused on the intersection of sustainability and innovation. The webinar was the latest episode of Founders Porch, an ongoing series of conversations among Fords on and beyond campus. This edition of Founders Porch was presented in collaboration with the Sustainable Fords affinity group and was kicked off by one of its leaders, Al Nierenberg '85.

"Sustainable Fords works to provide opportunities for alumni to volunteer with current Fords to gather for social and educational events and to learn about the college's sustainability initiatives," said Nierenberg. "Our work is planned by our leadership team, a great group of Fords who have a passion for this work and for connecting with fellow alumni and each other with current students and with Haverford."

Community members tuned in to learn more about recent developments at the College and hear from Sonia Aggarwal '06, CEO of Energy Innovation and a former special assistant to President Biden on climate policy; Doug Bennet '02, who is a co-founder of Phalanx Impact Partners, an investment firm that supports the efforts of sustainable infrastructure companies; and Jason Patlis '85, CEO of The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and a former leader for organizations like World Wildlife Fund. 

Following an update from President Raymond on recent sustainable developments at the College, primarily an investment in a significant solar farm in Kentucky that will generate 80% of the College's electricity and the search for a professional sustainability director, the quartet dove into an illuminating conversation focused on what made these alums pursue sustainability-focused careers, how their Haverford experience helped define their paths, and what's at stake for the future of our world. 

For Aggarwal, an idyllic childhood in rural Ohio that included outdoor play and activities such as blackberry picking was coupled with her mother's activism and regular protest attendance. She majored in physics and astronomy at Haverford, and said those early experiences kindled a passion for preserving the natural world.

"The stakes could not be higher for not just the non-human animals and the planet, but for all of our fellow human beings," Aggarwal said, noting the recent devastation of Hurricanes Milton and Helene in numerous southern states. "And that's really what wakes me up every morning and gives me the motivation that I have to continue this work."

At Haverford, she recalled, the College's emphasis on personal responsibility reinforced her commitment to the environment and inspired her to pursue a career in sustainability. Since receiving her master's in engineering from Stanford University, she contributed to the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act and helped set its commitment to reducing economy-wide greenhouse gasses below 2005 levels by 2030. At Energy Innovation, she strategizes with partners and policymakers across North America, Asia, and Europe to enact effective climate and clean energy policies. 

By comparison, Patlis' surroundings could not have been more different while growing up in New York's vast concrete jungle. An English major, Patlis' first job after college was on Wall Street, where he said he "got to appreciate the vacuousness of just making money for a career." That experience pushed him to a life of public interest work, specifically natural resource conservation, policy, and law. After more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit realm, he joined the Norfolk, Connecticut aquarium, which houses more than 7,500 animals. Having shifted focus from conservation to education, Patlis said he hopes visitors will become the "next generation of warriors" focused on climate issues. 

"It's really about changing the hearts and minds of the half million people who come through the doors each year," Patlis said. "For me, it's a very different approach than the conservation community. It's less about conserving resources directly and more about teaching people what conservation really means and why it's so important."

Bennet spent the early years of his career working in the energy sector, software development, and developing a hotel in New York's Finger Lakes before transitioning to climate-concerned investments as a way to give back. Now, as a partner at Phalanx, he's focused on plant-based industrial products, domestic energy infrastructure, and other investments that provide a positive ecological impact. Much like his fellow alums, he said, he continues to be guided by Haverford's ethos and the emphasis it places on personal responsibility. 
 
"When I think about Haverford, it has both a spiritual beauty and a physical beauty," Bennet said. "It also has a spiritual side in the openness, honesty, integrity, and the willingness to hold someone accountable. Those are some of the values that I live with and continue to work on as we build out our climate portfolio."

Looking ahead to the challenges the world faces as it grapples with climate change, the panel found resonance within Haverford's culture of collaboration. "Haverford is such a community of collaboration and care," President Raymond said. "We roll with collaboration, and it's a huge part of students' education here. That's a real difference maker."

In fact, Aggarwal said, collaboration among federal agencies, the business community, advocates, and policymakers, among others, was crucial in the two years of negotiations that realized the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Congress in 2022. The most significant climate-focused piece of legislation in the nation's history, it has spurred hundreds of billions in renewable energy investments and bolstered sales of electric vehicles.

While the act has brought the notion of combating climate change into the lives of everyday Americans, all three alums think that current students will find success through ongoing education whether as a major in environmental science or by learning from Haverford's many sustainable initiatives that can serve as models for their own work in the field. And no matter what careers students eventually pursue, they agreed, they will be informed and impacted by climate change. 

"Of course, I am biased," said Aggarwal, who remains optimistic about the future. "I think every job is a climate job, especially as we move into the new era in which you can contribute to the solutions we need from almost any type of profession. And you don't even need to be interested in science, law, or any of the things people used to think were related to sustainability." 

Watch the recording of Founders Porch or learn more about the show.