Melina Nguyen

What are your majors? Political science and people-environment geography

Expected graduation: May 2025

What inspired your interest in the environment and/or community? I was very lucky to have a family that spent a lot of time in the outdoors and this fostered my interest in environmentalism from an early age. I grew up in Madison surrounded by our lakes and parks and have enjoyed camping, paddleboarding, and hiking for years. I started getting more interested in environmental studies when I began learning about how the effects of climate change disproportionately impact BIPOC communities. This linkage between my love for the outdoors and my passion for equity led me to learn more about environmental justice, and I’m especially interested in developing equitable and sustainable food systems and making environmentalism accessible to a wider audience.

What would you say to other students who ask about CESP or the Nelson Institute? CESP is a space to meet students and faculty in the environmental space in a low-stakes, casual, learning environment. I’ve found a lot of value in CESP because it is one of the only spaces on campus where I get to return to the same instructors and classmates and we get to build relationships for longer than the span of a single semester. I’ve received a deeper environmental education from CESP and the discussions that we have in our seminar.

Something few people know about you: I’m a first-generation college student!

Anything else? I’ve spent my last three summers farming at The People’s Farm’s plots in the Eagle Heights Community Gardens. I love eating seasonal produce!