Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences celebrates the class of 2023! To commemorate their upcoming graduation, we’ve connected with a few seniors about their time at Weinberg College and future plans. Ashton Merbach will be graduating in June with a major in Environmental Sciences, a minor in Psychology and an Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN) certificate.
What did you study at Weinberg College and why? If applicable, please explain if your interests transformed or evolved during your time here.
I studied Environmental Science with a Minor in Psychology and Certificate in Sustainability and Energy! I came to Northwestern with a passion for environmentalism, which has led me to an interest in environmental justice! I have taken many elective courses in environmental justice, psychology, biology, and energy systems. Weinberg College has allowed me to explore all of my interests in these fields and has given me the tools to curate my studies to my exact interests!
Tell us a little bit about your interdisciplinary experience at Weinberg College. How did it prepare you for the future?
The interdisciplinary nature of Weinberg College has been paramount to my academic success at Northwestern. I have found a way to relate every class I have taken in Weinberg to another course, which has helped me build strong foundations in a variety of disciplines. My psychology courses have taught me about human behavior, which informs consumer practices, which informs sustainable business models, which rely on energy systems, and so on. I feel like the structure of Weinberg College has allowed me to make new critical connections between disciplines, which has broadened my ways of thinking about the world as a whole!
Do you have a favorite or transformative Weinberg College course you took? Or a professor that taught you?
A transformative course I have taken at Northwestern was Urban Ecology taught by Dr. Anderson. This course taught me so much about how urban spaces and the environment interact and sparked my initial interest in environmental justice! I was given the opportunity to collaborate on a project looking at issues of environmental justice in the local Evanston community and this research was presented to local Evanston environmental activists. This was the first time I felt a project I worked on truly benefited the local community, which has inspired my aspirations post-grad!
What advice would you give to future students?
Allow yourself to explore! Weinberg College offers so many unique classes and ways to combine studies that might not have seemed possible at first. There is so much time to take courses during the quarter system, so if a class sparks your interest, take it!
What are your plans after you graduate?
I accepted a position with Green Corps as an Environmental Organizer! I will head to Denver, CO in August for training and will travel the country for the next year working on grassroots campaigns to enact environmental legislation and climate action! I am so grateful for my education at Northwestern and am beyond excited to take this next step in my career in environmentalism!
