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Meaghan Maund likes to think big.

The Stratford, P.E.I., native was attracted to Dal鈥檚 Community Design program because it offered her the chance to understand the city from an holistic point of view. So when she discovered Dal鈥檚 new Environment, Sustainability and Society (ESS) major, the fit seemed perfect.

鈥淚 find that sustainability isn鈥檛 just about the material you鈥檙e studying 鈥� it鈥檚 about getting you to see the bigger picture, the cycles, how everything is connected,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 can take that broader knowledge and apply it to my planning work, recognizing that everything I do has an impact, and that I have to think about sustainability all through the system.鈥�

Ms. Maund is part of the first graduating class of Dal鈥檚 ESS program, which is unique in Canada. It allows students to pursue the academic field of their choice, and combine it with an interdisciplinary second major that brings together perspectives across the academic spectrum to capture sustainability in its broader context.

鈥淚t鈥檚 given me such a larger picture of the world and its network of connections. It was mind-opening.鈥�

Her honours thesis explored park use on the Halifax peninsula and recommended features to increase the parks鈥� popularity. She also completed an internship with the Ecology Action Centre, working on the Active and Safe Route to School program to make it easier for children to take active transportation (walking, biking) to school. She enjoyed the experience so much that she plans to spend her summer volunteering with the centre. After that, she鈥檒l leave for Europe on a backpacking trip, seeking to be inspired by the continent鈥檚 great cities.

鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to travelling, letting the world inspire me, and then coming back and seeing what I want to do. I know it will be something to do with planning, and it will be sustainability focused.鈥�