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Sustainability and Environmental Studies Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Údent Kamylle Bonenfant was selected to attend the Earth Charter Youth Summit at Soka University of America in California, where she shared her research with sustainability leaders from around the world.

 

“I came back to Canada feeling like a new version of myself,” said Bonenfant, who is originally from Edmundston, New Brunswick.

 

“I returned with new connections, new perspectives, and a much stronger sense that the work I am doing is connected to something far greater than myself.”

 

The three-day summit brought together more than 100 young leaders from 30 countries for more than 60 presentations and workshops that focused on sustainability, collaboration, and ethical leadership.

 

Bonenfant’s presentation explored eco-anxiety and resilience, drawing on ideas central to her honours research and her own experiences with environmental issues.

 

“I felt that the work I had been putting so much of myself into was being recognized, and it gave me reassurance that the work I am doing matters,” she said.

 

At the summit, Bonenfant explored how learning about the climate crisis can affect the way people understand and engage with the world around them.

 

“The summit gave me the opportunity to explore questions that have become central to my research: what happens between caring about an issue and actually taking action? What are the psychological effects of living with knowledge of climate change?”

 

Using the Climate Emotions Wheel, she invited participants to identify their emotions around climate change and consider how those feelings can influence behaviour and action.

 

“Understanding how we feel can help us recognize how those emotions influence our behaviour, motivation, and capacity to remain engaged in climate action,” she said.

 

Building Skills and Confidence at Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú

 

Presenting her work to international students, professors, sustainability and environmental professionals, and conference leaders is a reflection of how Bonenfant has grown during her time at St. Thomas.

 

“I have developed skills and confidence that I once struggled to imagine having,” she said.

 

“Many of my professors have played an important role in that growth. They have encouraged me, guided me toward becoming a more confident speaker, and taken the time to understand how I learn and communicate differently.”

 

Bonenfant hopes the work she has contributed to at Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú will have a lasting impact.

 

“Every project I have worked on, every conversation I have started, and every interaction I have had at Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú has felt like planting a small seed,” she said.

 

“My hope is that I have planted enough of those seeds that, over time, they will continue to grow.”

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Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Údents interested in taking Sustainability, Ethics and Leadership can contact Dr. Janice Harvey for more information about the course and potential opportunities to attend the next Earth Charter Youth Summit.