Tim Sennott entered SCU as a communication major but soon switched to biology and became involved with the Green Club. From there, he found himself drawn to engineering to face issues of sustainability.

“I was able to see the issue of sustainability from different angles—from the standpoint of environmental science, from an ethical perspective, and as a technical challenge. How do we help the billions of people in developing countries achieve the standard of living we’ve enjoyed?

“Being an engineer and having the tools to confront the biggest challenges facing our society just made sense. It meant an extra year to switch to engineering, but it was the right path on which to proceed. Here, I’m being given the skills and the tools to make a difference.”

And after graduation? “Graduate schools, and then work on sustainable design. I’d like to solve engineering problems in a more intelligent way—being mindful of the true environmental cost and resource drain, and closing the waste loop.”