Maverick Esser

Hometown: Gig Harbor, Washington
College/University Attending: Santa Clara University
Year In School When Selected: 3rd Year
Program of Study: Major: Business Management, Minor: Environmental Studies 

Background

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest instilled a deep respect and joy for nature and the outdoors. I have always tried to align my studies and future career with being able to keep the joy for myself and help implement proper stewardship for the next generation. I am a transfer student to Santa Clara. Before transferring, I was interested in environmental design architecture. I am still passionate about design, but am happy that I took the leap to be somewhere that better fit with my future goals. Outside of school and work I love pretty much any sport, this summer I completed my first ever triathlon! I am now planning a trip next summer to ride from Seattle to Portland with one of my best friends.

Summary of New Ideas proposal

My proposal was titled "Enhancing Communication and Action of Sustainability in the Business Sector." The purpose of my proposal was to provide suggestions and opportunities for how environmental research could be better communicated to the business sector and how businesses can better understand and implement the research. My hope is to help drive corporations to become more actionable in their sustainable impact. The core topics I proposed were increasing community visibility, striving for actionable-sustainability metrics, focusing on value-based approaches, and establishing long-term trust and relations. Data is very important to just about everything we do. I wanted to begin to understand how we can take the enormous amounts of data and research that is at our disposal and use it to align sustainable actions with business operations.

What does the New Ideas Competition mean to you?

The New Ideas Competition means a lot to me. It is not just a competition, but an opportunity to listen and learn from intelligent minds from varying walks of life. Through the competition I was able to participate in discussions on how we can promote respectful discourse and work together in fostering ideas that can benefit society. The opportunity also allowed me to make new friends and connections which I am always thankful for.

Advice for new applicants

Stay true to your passions and propose an idea that you truly believe in. Yes, adhere to the guidelines of the competition and respect the mission of the competition, but let your true self show in your thoughtful research and presentation.