Cassie Austin is serious about sustainability. Since college, she has contributed much of her time and efforts to sustainability projects. 

But let’s go back to 2003. This was the first year Cassie came to The Franciscan School, mid-year during kindergarten. Because of TFS's impact on her and its focus on service, Cassie has always sought opportunities to connect with her local community. She currently lives in Dayton, Ohio, and is involved in the Dayton community, regularly participating in community cleanups with a local non-profit called Waste Free Dayton.

Thinking back to her years at TFS, many of the teachers stand out to Cassie. But 5th grade, particularly, left a mark on her. She remembers the kindness and creativity of her teacher, Mrs. Stevens. 

Cassie’s favorite memories included playing volleyball on the middle school team, taking field trips to Blue Jay Point and Washington, D.C., playing capture the flag in P.E. class, and some fun middle school electives like jewelry making and puzzling. “TFS always felt like a community to me,” Cassie shares.

Back to sustainability. After four years at Cardinal Gibbons High School, Cassie attended N.C. State University (NCSU), where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering. She was involved in numerous sustainability and environmental organizations and held several leadership roles. Cassie was the President of the Food Recovery Network. This organization recovers food from dining halls that would otherwise go to waste and donates it to community organizations that feed needy people. 

Cassie was also a Sustainability Steward who created and led sustainability projects around campus in areas such as waste, energy, food, and education. During this time, she lived in a living and learning community at NCSU called EcoVillage. Students interested in sustainability or environmental issues lived in the same residence hall and volunteered, went on trips, and took classes together.

After graduating from NC State, Cassie joined AmeriCorps as a member and was accepted into a sustainability-focused corps in Knoxville, TN. She worked at the University of Tennessee in their Office of Sustainability for two years, overseeing the undergraduate sustainability internship program and working on various sustainability projects on campus.

Cassie soon obtained her master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Dayton in Ohio. She was interested in working in a more public-facing role in local government, higher education, or a non-profit. Through this degree, she received a sustainability graduate certificate, which helped her learn more about sustainability work.

While doing her graduate studies, Cassie worked as a graduate assistant on a research study about best practices for reducing waste on campus. She now works as the Sustainability Project Coordinator at the Hanley Sustainability Institute. Like her time at the University of Tennessee, Cassie says, “In this role, I mentor undergraduate students and help them create projects that contribute to campus-wide sustainability efforts.”

As Cassie reflects on something she’d like to share with current TFS students, she shares, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and explore your passions! The community at TFS is very supportive and caring.”

Thank you for sharing your passion for sustainability with us, Cassie!