This Q&A series highlights McKinney Climate Fellows alumni and their professional journeys within Indiana and beyond. The McKinney Climate Fellows program, administered by Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute with support from the Integrated Program in the Environment, connects IU undergraduate and graduate students interested in climate, sustainability, and community resilience with career experiences.
From an early age, Nicole Chandler has been concerned about the environment and the impacts of climate change. Her experience as a McKinney Climate Fellow with the Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization helped equip her with the skills needed to make positive change in her hometown.
After completing her dual master's degree in environmental science and public affairs at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs in December 2023, Chandler returned to Evansville to be a part of the Evansville Climate Collaborative, which leads the region in collective action to build climate resilience.
The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
As a climate and compliance specialist with the Evansville Climate Collaborative, what are the responsibilities and what do you like about the job?
I help facilitate climate-based projects and assist with writing grants. We do a lot of public engagement and community group engagement, and I also help with long-term and short-term planning for environmental and climate action projects.
I like the diversity of the work and especially that I get to interact with so many departments and agencies, not only within Evansville but within the state as well. This work really touches on everything.
And I get to work with the department where I was originally placed as a McKinney Climate Fellow quite consistently. Being able to expand outside of our department to other departments and agencies and groups and work together as a team is a great thing about my role.
What called you to pursue a career focused on sustainability?
Growing up and knowing what climate change will do to our communities and our earth and what that will look like for subsequent generations galvanized me from a very early age. As someone who was always interested in nature and the environment, it just seemed to funnel right into climate action and environmental sustainability work.
Why did you decide to work in Indiana?
I think the Midwest gets overlooked despite what a lot of its states, cities, and communities are trying to do. Typically, I feel like a lot of the attention and the grant money goes to larger cities or coastal areas, so I wanted to show that the Midwest is doing important work.
Still, we have a long way to go. Indiana is behind in terms of climate action and sustainability. If I could be a part of the process that helps push us into a more sustainable future, then I couldn't miss that opportunity.
What were the main things that you learned as a McKinney Climate Fellow?
The first thing that I learned was just how important policy and strategic planning are. There’s so many policies that I feel like are not thought through very well. Being a McKinney Climate Fellow has taught me how to consider all of the different angles.
Being in the program helped me understand how the policy process works, being strategic every step of the way and looking at how equity and climate impacts can be folded in from the very beginning.
How did the things you learned as a fellow inform your career path?
I wanted to make a change, and it showed me how I could. It really gave me the opportunity to push for those climate considerations that a department or an agency might not typically think of.
It helped me hone my research skills, especially when understanding the impacts of climate and how to explain that to diverse groups. I was taught how to speak to people, even those who don't even believe in climate change. I learned how to meet them on common ground and try to bring them to where my thinking is.
It also showed me what public policy and local government work looks like. It was a great opportunity to see that you don't have to be the president of the United States or a congressperson or senator to make a difference. You can make a difference within a local community.
What advice would you give to current fellows?
I didn't even know what the Evansville Metropolitan Planning organization was until I got there. Within a week, I was like, “Wow, this is truly amazing.” It was a trust-the-process moment. I'm so glad that I did it because I was able to really get a lot of great work done with an agency that didn't have the staffing or the resources to focus on the climate action they wanted done. It worked out so well. So I would say if you're put into a place where you're not for sure how you'll be able to fit in or what your role can be, keep an open mind.
Also, reach out to those who have previously done this. Really tap into the network. I truly am a big fan of the program, and I really enjoyed my placement in time. I’m always happy to speak to any students who have questions.
What advice do you have for people or for students who are considering a career in sustainability and the environment?
First, thank you. Second, this job can get very overwhelming, and it can feel like you're drowning. One of the things that I would do is maintain a balance of taking care of yourself. You can't pour from an empty cup. Yes, we're here to work for the environment and climate, but also for ourselves, too. We want people to stay in these careers for a long time. So keep that hope and break things down one step at a time. Eventually, we can all move together in the right direction.
With the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, climate jobs are really growing. But even if you see a job that isn’t explicitly a green or climate job, you may be the person who can come in and make your job a climate job. You can do these little things—like workplace carpooling programs or utilizing recycled materials for office supplies. There's lots of room for creativity and ingenuity.
