UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For many Penn State students, experiential learning opportunities provide valuable preparation for life after graduation. For alumni of Penn State's Sustainable Labs Program, the experience has also helped shape career paths, professional identities and approaches to problem solving.
Through the Sustainable Labs Program, students serve as Sustainable Lab Consultants (SLCs), working directly with researchers, faculty and laboratory staff to identify opportunities to improve sustainability practices in research environments. In the process, students gain experience in communication, systems thinking, project management and organizational change.
Those skills often extend far beyond sustainability-focused careers.
Former Sustainable Lab Consultants have gone on to pursue graduate education, research positions and careers across a range of industries. While their professional paths vary, many credit the program with helping them develop competencies that continue to inform their work today.
For Caden Vitti, who was part of the program's inaugural cohort before returning as a student lead, the experience provided an early introduction to consulting and client-centered problem solving. Today, Vitti works as an energy engineer, where he helps organizations develop tailored energy solutions.
"I wrapped up my first run with the program, took my experiences to my first corporate consulting internship and immediately understood the benefit that the program offered," Vitti said. "In consulting and in problem solving, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, but having a framework for analysis and recommendation allows for the process of working with labs, clients and ultimately people that much more efficient and useful."
The Sustainable Labs Program offers students a unique opportunity to apply sustainability concepts in real-world settings. Rather than learning exclusively in a classroom, consultants work collaboratively with laboratory personnel to evaluate existing practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and support implementation of sustainable solutions.
The program also provides support as students seek career opportunities beyond graduation. “We work with them to translate their knowledge and skills into accurate and effective descriptions on their resumes," said Krista Bailey, associate director for campus sustainability.
Many alumni point to communication and relationship-building as some of the most valuable aspects of the experience. Consultants regularly engage with faculty, researchers and staff members, learning how to present recommendations, navigate competing priorities, and encourage change within complex organizations.
For Autumn Swain, those communication skills have become central to her career. Today, she works across risk, sustainability and hospitality operations, where collaboration is a key part of her role.
"One of the most valuable skills I gained through the Sustainable Labs Program was the ability to communicate effectively across departments," Swain said. "I learned how to translate sustainability information into practical recommendations for scientists and researchers and discovered the importance of meeting people where they are. Rather than expecting individuals to fundamentally change the way they work, I learned how to identify ways to integrate sustainability initiatives into existing processes and responsibilities."
For others, the program influenced how they think about sustainability itself. The experience introduced students to the interconnected nature of environmental, operational, and behavioral challenges, lessons that continue to shape their work after graduation.
When Jaida Copeland joined the Sustainable Labs Program as a sophomore, she was still exploring potential career paths. While she knew she was passionate about the environment, the experience helped her discover how sustainability could become a professional focus.
"The SLC program specifically helped me realize that there was no universally applicable solution when it came to solving complex sustainability issues," Copeland said. "With each new challenge we encountered in the lab, it took a lot of brainstorming and collaboration with the lab's members to see what would work best for them. It was rewarding to see that people were genuinely interested in sustainability — they just didn't have the knowledge or resources to reach their goal alone."
Swain said the experience also changed how she approaches sustainability by emphasizing the importance of designing systems that make sustainable choices practical and achievable.
"The Sustainable Labs Program helped me realize that sustainability isn't just about convincing individual people to make different choices, but it's also about creating systems and processes that foster lasting change," Swain said. "Working with laboratories taught me that most people genuinely want to make sustainable choices, but those choices need to be practical and fit within the demands of their day-to-day work."
For Copeland, those lessons continue to influence her work as a management consultant with KPMG.
"Looking back, it has really helped me in my first post-grad role as a management consultant because I had already built a foundation in systems-thinking and problem-solving during my time as an SLC," Copeland said. "The experience was mutually beneficial because we each got to learn totally different sides of the same coin, and it strengthened my collaboration and critical thinking skills."
The impact of the program extends beyond individual participants' success. Sustainable Lab Consultants contribute to projects and initiatives that help improve laboratory operations across Penn State, creating lasting benefits for research spaces while gaining practical experience.
The experience also helped shape Swain's long-term career goals by showing her how sustainability can be integrated into everyday operations.
"The opportunity to work directly with researchers to identify and implement procedures for practical improvements was invaluable," Swain said. "The experience helped me realize that I wanted a career where I could bridge the gap between sustainability goals and day-to-day operations."
As Penn State continues to prepare students for careers in an evolving workforce, alumni experiences demonstrate how opportunities like the Sustainable Labs Program can help students build confidence, develop transferable skills and discover new professional interests.
To learn more about the Sustainable Labs Program and the Sustainable Lab Consultants, please contact Program Director Jack Rumery at jackery7@psu.edu.