Hi readers! Welcome back! Sit back, relax, and enjoy my experience on the 2025 Sustainability Trek!
In reading the title of this post, you may be wondering…what is a trek? That is a great question, and I would not have known myself before applying to attend one. A trek is an amazing opportunity that Amherst offers students to receive firsthand experience at various companies and organizations. At almost all of the workplaces that we visited, there were Amherst alumni who were very excited to attend and willing to answer any questions that we had. The treks that the College offers are also free of charge, as they paid for our hotel, travel, and meals!
The trek that I applied for and attended was the Sustainability Trek. This trek was held in Boston, Massachusetts, during the month of January. Before I could attend the trek, I had to go through an application process. I submitted my written application, and a couple of days later I was provided an opportunity to attend the group interview. I had never taken part in a group interview, and even though I was nervous, it was a really great learning experience. There was one interviewer and multiple interviewees, and each of us interviewees had the opportunity to answer each question. I was very grateful when I was notified that I received a position on the trek!
After packing my bag for the four day trip to Boston, I met the other students at Converse Hall where we left for Boston! We got to the hotel where we unloaded our luggage and got accustomed to our rooms and coordinated with our roommates. We then met with everyone in the lobby to begin the events of our jam-packed schedule! In order to travel around Boston, we rode the subway in Boston, which is called the “T.” I loved riding the public transportation and imagining myself as an environmental professional living in Boston.
During the Sustainability Trek, we met over twenty alumni at their workplaces, which was an amazing experience! It was awesome to learn from their career paths and life journeys. As a sophomore student at Amherst, it was great to be introduced to the practice of networking and start growing more comfortable with asking questions of alumni and professionals in my prospective career field; I thought it was a pleasantly casual way to begin building connections and future career opportunities.
Another exciting component of the trek was the ability to explore Boston with my peers! After our delicious dinners, I went with the other students on the trek to explore the city. I really enjoyed being able to have the freedom to see the city of Boston for myself, while also having the comfort of my peers around me. We got to see various tourist attractions and rode the “T” back to the hotel for our early start the next day. Overall, I am very grateful that I was able to attend the 2025 Sustainability Trek, and I suggest to any prospective or current students to seek out opportunities for career exploration, especially the treks.
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about Amherst, or would like to talk further, email me at cjaeger27@amherst.edu!