Peer Mentor Program

2023-2024 Peer Mentors

To more effectively disseminate valuable information regarding the major, the Yale College Dean Office has established an informal peer mentoring system. Peer mentors are trained to convey advice and information to their peers, as a way of increasing and diversifying mentoring resources within majors. Environmental Studies peer mentors meet with prospective and current majors to provide advice and information regarding EVST. They can answer questions about what it’s like to major in EVST, what classes you may wish to take in the major, and how to find your concentration courses. First-year and sophomore students are encouraged to contact EVST Mentors with questions about EVST.

Selin Goren Energy and Climate BS’24, Timothy Dwight College

Selin Goren is a rising senior at Yale College pursuing a BS degree in Environmental Studies, a certificate in Energy Studies, and an advanced language certificate in Spanish. She’s from Turkey and is engaged in climate advocacy in her hometown, Istanbul. She’s passionate about the green energy transition of companies and cities, carbon containment, and youth participation in climate politics. At Yale, she’s working as a Research Assistant in the Yale Carbon Containment Lab and the Student Director for EVST.  Outside of classes, Selin can be found dancing tango, bird-watching, and reading in the TD courtyard. Selin is so happy to be a part of the EVST community and excited to help students navigate the various EVST classes and opportunities this year!

Emily Horgen Sustainability and Natural Resources BA’24, Silliman College
 
Emily is a rising senior double-majoring in EVST and East Asian Studies. She is concentrating in sustainability and natural resources and is specifically interested in the intersection between finance and the clean energy sector. Emily started her environmental journey working for a nonprofit called the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida. She wrote and illustrated a children’s book called Lee the Sea Turtle Swims Free in English and Chinese to spread awareness about sea turtle conservation in Southern China, where sea turtles are poached for their meat and shells. Last summer, Emily interned in the office of Senator Blumenthal in Washington, D.C., where she wrote policy memorandums to inform staffers on important environmental issues. This coming summer, Emily plans to work in New York at Decarbonization Partners, a joint-venture between Blackrock and Singapore-based Temasek, where she will invest in emerging climate technologies. On campus, Emily enjoys painting, running with friends, and spending time at the Yale Farm. She can’t wait to be an EVST peer mentor, and feel free to reach out with any questions you have!
 
Grace Cajski Marine Conservation BA’24, Franklin College 
 

Grace is a rising senior double majoring in Environmental Studies and French and a prospective Yale Journalism Scholar. She is from New Orleans, and is passionate about leveraging storytelling and education as tools for conservation. Grace is also passionate about food systems and aquaculture, and she supports bottom-up conservation efforts that allow coastal communities to harvest sustainably and healthfully from the sea, as is their right. She is a 2022-2024 NOAA Hollings Scholar and will spend the summer analyzing how aquaculture gear affects fish behavior in the Long Island Sound. She will also do conservation reporting in Hawaii, which she has done for the past two summers—as a 2022 YPCCC x Pulitzer Center Climate Reporting Fellow and thanks to the Yale Sustainable Food Program’s Global Food Fellowship, the Center for International and Professional Experience’s Summer Journalism Fellowship, the Yale Law School’s Law, Ethics & Animals Student Grant, the Benjamin Franklin Richter Fellowship, and the Yale Environmental Humanities Program Student Grant.

Grace has also worked in the carbon offset industry. On campus, Grace is involved with the Yale Sustainable Food Program, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, the Conservation Finance Network, and the Fellowships Office. She is excited to be a peer mentor—come any and all with questions, comments, so forth!

Ben Everett-Lane Energy & Climate BS’24, Berkeley College 

Ben is a rising senior majoring on the Energy & Climate BS track also pursuing certificates in Chinese and Statistics & Data Science with specific interests in climate science and communication. Ben currently works as a research assistant for the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. He has previously worked as an assistant editor, reviewer, and co-author for YSE Professor Florencia Montagnini on her conservation book, research assistant for YCELP on their 2022 EPI report, conference planner for the IUCN, and wilderness trips leader for Overland. This summer Ben worked for WildRoots-India, an environmental education organization based in Guwahati, to help plan and run India’s first youth climate and conservation fellowship program. Ben is incredibly excited to get to know all the other wonderful people in the EVST community, so please reach out if you have any questions at all or just want to get a meal!