Kathleen Belton

Kathleen Belton has always been passionate about the environment and wants to pursue a career where she can change the way that society interacts with our natural world. She was very excited to learn about SFU’s new Bachelor of Environment degree because it provides the perfect combination of arts and sciences and she's now majoring in Global Environmental Systems, which offers her the opportunity to develop a wide variety of interdisciplinary skills.

Unsure of exactly what job she wanted to pursue after her degree, Kathleen joined the co-op program where she secured her first position as an Ambassador for BC Recycles. As an Ambassador Kathleen travelled the province with another co-op student on a promotional tour to educate the public on how easy it is to recycle. The goal is to help divert waste from the landfill and adopt zero waste cities. This position was a great opportunity for her to gain valuable experience in public outreach and education - something that she believes is crucial if we are to lead less impactful lives. In addition, she was responsible for interacting with people from industry, government, and local businesses ensuring that the recycling programs are running smoothly.

It also marks a milestone for the new Bachelor of Environment program: Kathleen is the first student out on co-op in this program! 

For her second co-op term, Kathleen developed and coordinated the new Sustainability Mentorship Program at SFU. Here she was able to advance her project management, public relations, and leadership skills, which she honed in her first co-op term. 

As an environmentalist she enjoys volunteering for environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and exploring nature while rock-climbing, hiking, kayaking, and camping.