For Maria Jose Torres Vargas, environmental stewardship is much more than about helping save the planet – it’s about protecting people.
That passion and dedication has not only led her to achieve two credentials from the College’s School of Environment but this recent graduate recently became the first student from Niagara College to become certified as a Living Planet Leader from the World Wildlife Fund Canada’s Living Planet @ Campus program, which recognizes students for leadership in environmental sustainability on campus and in the community.
“The opportunity to become a Living Planet Leader has shown me how every one of us affects nature and how minimal actions can turn things over,” said Vargas. “It’s about understanding that being a leader is working together, listening, and learning from each other to achieve a more sustainable future, helping the planet thrive is helping us thrive.”
Vargas, who graduated from the Environmental Management and Assessment program in 2020, and Environmental Technician program in 2019, became eligible for certification due to her involvement with numerous sustainability initiatives at NC.
Originally from Bogota, Colombia, she has had a long-time passion for the environment. When she began her studies at NC, she became interested in volunteering and getting involved with the College’s sustainability initiatives. She noted she realized that education is essential to a more sustainable future.
“At first, I wanted to speak for the environment since it did not have a voice. However, during college, I realized it was really about people,” said Vargas. “We need to protect the planet to protect people, so, it became a matter of getting involved with people for the people.
“I wanted to transmit all the knowledge I had to other people so they can get involved and contribute.”
With an interest in becoming a WWF-Canada Living Planet Leader, Vargas She reached out to the College’s Office of Sustainability and received guidance on opportunities available to students and how to accomplish her goal.
She volunteered for the College’s BioBlitz in 2019 and then spent the summer volunteering with the Office of Sustainability, monitoring the lagoons and protecting sustainability initiatives on campus. When she began the Environmental Management program, she continued to volunteer and encouraged her new classmates to become involved as well. She had an active role in planning the 2020 BioBlitz; however, the spring 2020 event was cancelled due to the campus closure in response to the global pandemic.
Sustainability program and outreach coordinator Amber Schmucker noted that Vargas was involved with almost every sustainability initiative at the College for the past two years to achieve her certification requirements.
NC’s Office of Sustainability strives to offer students meaningful events and programs that will assist them in landing employment after graduation. Schmucker noted that knowledge of sustainability and climate change is becoming more important across many sectors, and the Living Planet @ Campus program and Living Planet Leader certification encourages students to learn more about sustainability and gain that knowledge, regardless of what program they are enrolled in.
“We are always so thrilled to have students volunteer and work with us closely to make our engagement events and programs such a success,” said Schmucker. “Being able to provide this additional recognition through an amazing organization like WWF-Canada is something we are very proud to offer our students.”
Being the first NC student to receive the honour makes the Mississauga resident and recent alumna feel encouraged and supported.
“I felt validated and it makes me very happy to represent my college with an organization like WWF-Canada,” she said.
About Living Planet Leader certification
To become a WWF-Canada Living Planet Leader, students must complete the certification’s four category requirements in volunteerism, academics, personal sustainability, and leadership and teamwork. Visit campus.wwf.ca to get started.
