CHANGING THE WORLD FOR GOOD Shery Rose Quieng ‘18 | Scholar Ask a child what they want to become when they grow up, and they most probably won’t tell you something like, “a career founded on environmental protection and social work”. But Shery has always had a thing for the unconventional. Engrossed in natural sciences and problem-solving, she wanted to become an engineer, although there was another dilemma. In her home country, the Philippines, options were limited – there were only chemical, mechanical or other traditional forms of engineering. Then came the SJI International Scholarship. “My somewhat finite horizon widened when I received the scholarship to study at SJII. I encountered a new education system, several new people, and experienced different cultures. In this school, every student is empowered and taught to dream big and sail far while bearing integrity and service in mind. Hence, here I am in France, studying food sustainability engineering,” Shery shares. With the adverse effects of climate change being more visible these days, sustainability has become more than just a buzzword. But what is it, really, and why was it so significant for Shery that she decided to choose this path? The United Nations defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
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