Leading the green transition
Read about the experiences of McKinney Climate Fellows alums and how the program informed their professional journeys in sustainability.
Delaney Barber
2021 alum
As a graduate student at IU’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Barber wanted to make a positive impact on global environmental issues, including climate change. Through experiences like McKinney Climate Fellows, she found she wouldn’t have to leave the Midwest to do it.
Read the Q&A
Chaise Cope
2018 alum
A native of Bremen, Ind., Cope immediately found an opportunity to apply her training as a McKinney Climate Fellow with the City of Columbus, working in the municipality’s community development office. The experience helped kickstart her career in local government and sustainability.
Read the Q&A
Miranda Frausto
2019-20 alum
Born in Mexico City, Frausto grew up in a Latino family that cared about the environment. This special connection led Frausto to become a local climate leader in Carmel, Ind. and a McKinney Climate Fellow. Later, she was hired as the first the first Hispanic and Latino Outreach Coordinator for Earth Charter Indiana.
Read the Q&A
Halee Griffey
2021 alum
When Halee Griffey started college, she dreamed of working abroad to improve the lives of people in other countries. A virtual exchange program, however, convinced Griffey that she could have just as much of an impact by staying closer to home and creating a sustainable future for the Midwest.
Read the Q&A
Kerry Korpela
2021 alum
As a McKinney Climate Fellow, Korpela helped institute a sustainability framework for Fort Wayne City Utilities projects, becoming a full-time program manager after graduation.Today, Korpela is playing a leading role in implementing Fort Wayne's recently adopted climate action and adaptation plan.
Read the Q&A
Jonathon Lewis
2020-21 alum
When Lewis arrived at IUPUI as a freshman in 2018, he didn’t know what sustainability was. After learning about the concept on the first day of college, he embarked on a career path that led him to McKinney Climate Fellows and a full-time job as a sustainability professional in Indiana.
Read the Q&A
Angelica Lopez
2020 alum
Growing up near the steel mills of Northwest Indiana, Lopez witnessed the toll that heavy industry can have on public health and the environment. With the vision for a more equitable and sustainable future, Lopez helped her community take the first steps toward developing a climate action plan.
Read the Q&A