As part of its Campus as Lab (CAL) initiative, Columbia's Office of Sustainability has welcomed a new student intern dedicated to advancing sustainable procurement and supply chain strategy. Sara Swenson joins the team as part of the inaugural cohort of the Master of Science in Climate Finance program at the Columbia Climate School, bringing a strong interdisciplinary background and passion for environmental stewardship.
Prior to arriving at Columbia, Sara earned her MA in International Relations from the University of St. Andrews. She also brings professional experience spanning corporate sustainability, sustainability-focused venture capital, and management consulting. Born and raised in Utah (and previously competing as a professional freestyle aerials skier) Sara credits her love of the outdoors as a driving force behind her commitment to sustainability work.
At Columbia, Sara is supporting the advancement of the University’s Sustainable Procurement Framework. Her work will focus on evaluating top-spend product categories for sustainability performance, collaborating with procurement and Columbia vendors to source more sustainable products, and identifying opportunities to increase operational efficiency while prioritizing cost savings for the University. Specifically, Sara will assess Columbia’s supply from Fastenal, the vendor providing custodial and hardware goods to the University. This work is especially critical as supply chain emissions typically make up the majority of total emissions for large organizations, including higher education institutions.
Sara has long been interested in supply chain sustainability and is excited to contribute to work that supports Columbia’s long-term climate goals. She is especially motivated by the opportunity to give back to the Columbia community and help advance solutions that improve quality of life and environmental outcomes for generations to come.
CAL is a core priority within the Office of Sustainability that enables the campus to serve as a living laboratory. Through partnerships with Facilities and Operations and academic programs across the University, the initiative connects students with real-world sustainability challenges. Students conduct applied research, present findings, and help drive implementation of solutions while gaining exposure to emerging technologies and campus sustainability initiatives already underway.
