Maura Jarvis

My Greatest Accomplishment: I believe that my greatest accomplishment is still to come, but I am so proud to say that I have accomplished more than most at my age. For starters, I have a job that only I can do: I am a literal superhero at the Philadelphia Water Department! In the cape and beyond, I am a champion for environmental justice, working at the center of sustainability, equity and water. Few things in life are as fulfilling as working in my city and using unconventional mediums, such as the Water Woman persona and art as a communication tool to connect with the diverse communities that make up Philadelphia. When I created my custom major at Drexel, my dream was to communicate environmental issues to the public in a way that resonated and inspired change; realizing that dream is a huge accomplishment for me.

How Drexel Helped Me: All things in life start with a choice; I am undoubtedly where I am today because of my choice to attend Drexel University. At an institution where every student has a unique experience, I took it a step further, capitalizing on the vast resources and opportunities that Drexel provides. Without the freedom of a custom-designed major or the co-op program, attaining my dream job post-graduation would not have been possible. The life experience I gained during my independent study abroad in Tokyo and co-op in Hong Kong is what brings me to call myself a global citizen. My time at Drexel truly defined me and shaped so much of what my life is today.

My Greatest Source of Motivation: My motivation is seeing the state of the world right now and my commitment to changing our future. We currently live in a world where younger generations are plagued by eco-anxiety, Black and brown communities globally are disproportionately impacted by climate change and, as a society, we are furthest we’ve ever been from understanding each other. While these circumstances are certainly challenging and we may rightfully feel that the odds are stacked against us, I am driven by the need to take some action in my lifetime that will leave a lasting, positive impact for my community.

Where I Hope to Be in Five Years: I hope to be considered an innovator in environmental communications and a connector in our global community. Travel is a personal passion of mine, but I hope to leverage that passion into an advocacy career for environmental justice at home and abroad. I would love to create an interdisciplinary collective of sustainability professionals that see themselves as catalysts in their respective industries and collaboratively respond to the critical social and environmental issues we face today.

If My Life Were a Music Video, the Song Would Be: “Vivir Mi Vida,” by Marc Anthony.