As Gabriela (“Gabi”) Vidad ‘23 prepares to walk across the stage at commencement next month, she feels prepared for whatever career opportunities might come her way thanks, in large part, to a well-rounded education in the MS in Sustainability Management program at the Kogod School of Business.
Currently an intern with Cities4Forests through the World Resources Institute and a market manager at FRESHFARM in DC, Vidad arrived on the AU campus with an already strong appreciation for the science of a planet-friendly approach to business. After all, she studied physics as an undergraduate student at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.
A year later, though, as she prepares to receive her Master’s degree, Vidad feels equally well versed in the business of sustainability thanks to experience gained in and out of the classroom through one of the few sustainability management programs in the country housed in a business school.
We spoke with Vidad about her upcoming graduation, her career experience, and her reflections on her time at Kogod.
Gabriela Vidad: I’ve always had a passion for sustainability and the environment. While I had built a strong scientific background, I felt like I had a gap in business-related education.
I knew that I needed to fill out those skills, such as management, business, and even entrepreneurship—the entrepreneurial mindset and spirit—though.