Jill Durkin ‘22, a Finance and Economics double major, is spending her summer working as a UNH Sustainability Fellow at Prime Buchholz thanks to the UNH Changemaker Collaborative.
“I first worked with Prime Buchholz through the B Impact Clinic as a team mentor last semester. I was so inspired by the people I met and the work that they are doing in the sustainability field that I applied to this fellowship the day I learned it existed. Plus, this work specifically relates to my interest and experience in DEI and ESG data collection/client reporting!
Honestly, I feel like I have learned more from this experience than I did in the first two years of college–although part of that might actually be how well Paul prepared me. There are so many things that I know and understand that other UNH sustainability fellows haven’t been taught. My first week here, we had a crash course on all of the asset classes and it was basically every finance class I’ve ever taken smashed into three days! It was great and such a good refresher. Through daily application, I feel like my confidence with the technical vocabulary is growing so quickly.
Rachel Rymaszewski, a recent UNH grad who works here after having the same role as me two summers ago, and Kate Dumas, my mentor for the fellowship program, have been really great resources. Working remotely hasn’t been ideal, but luckily, I have been able to meet up with Rachel at The Works in Durham to collaborate on some projects. I should hopefully be able to go into the office a few times throughout the summer! I think the culture at Prime Buchholz is generally very welcoming and inclusive. People are so willing to share their knowledge, and even working remotely, it has been an incredible networking opportunity.
Initially, I was worried about not making enough money through the fellowship program, but Paul's Internship Opportunity Fund (IOF) made all of this possible. I am so thankful to use my degree to work toward making positive change. I honestly love Prime Buchholz and this program. I’d love to continue my work here in the future!”
