Farewell from Erb Fellows Co-Presidents

As our time serving as the Erb Undergraduate Fellows Council Co-Presidents comes to an end, we want to reflect on how much this opportunity and experience have meant to us. We are Claire Guo and Allison Gadlage, and we have been privileged to serve on the Erb Fellows Council and as your co-presidents this past year. The last two years with the Erb community have been one of the most influential parts of our college experience. We have truly loved getting to know our cohort through co-curricular events, community events, and our coursework. As we transition out of this role and into the alumni community, we wanted to share a few reflections on our time here. 

A Note From Claire Guo: 

In complete honesty, I was relatively on the fence when I first considered applying to Erb. As a sophomore in Ross at the time, I wasn’t sure if the fellowship program was the right path for me or if I had enough time to join something new. Looking back, joining Erb and especially being a part of the Erb Fellows Council has led to meeting some of my favorite people and making some of my favorite memories in college. Particularly as a Ross major, it has been really incredible to be part of a community of people passionate about sustainability and climate action. 

I first served as Vice President of External Relations during my junior year, working alongside five seniors who became not just role models but also support systems during the clean energy recruiting process. Without them, much of my application and even my career-path discovery process would have been done on my own. I have such fond memories of our bonding dinners together, sitting on the law quad, and chatting during the community events we hosted. This past year, serving as Co-President with Allison has somehow been even better and more rewarding. 

One of my favorite memories from this year is the Erb Bonfire we organized in September. It was the first bonfire ever held as an Erb community event, and it was so special hosting on my own front lawn and having such a great turnout of people, many of whom were meeting for the first time that night. It also represented one of my favorite parts of Erb as a whole: how welcoming and kind everyone is. Every conversation I’ve had with a new Erber or just someone I hadn’t met before has been so easygoing and warm. 

Looking forward, I am so excited for our incoming Presidents, Jackie Holt and Scotten Maderal. The fall semester was so great because these two are incredibly easy to talk to, they truly care about making Erb better, and they always bring such positive energy. The best advice I can give, beyond what they already know and are so great at, is to enjoy each other’s company and to use the community events and workshops that Erb has to offer as an opportunity to make the most of senior year. Much of any organization and experience is what you make of it, and there are so many moments that Erb fosters that can lead to new connections, ideas, friendships, and interests. 

It has been such an honor to serve on Fellows Council for the past two years and as Co-President this past year. I’m certainly looking forward to joining the Erb alumni community following graduation, and hope to come back with Erb Returns to see some of my favorite alumni and, of course, my Co-President Allison. I’m grateful for all that Erb has offered and given me throughout college, and I will be aiming to give back at every opportunity I can. 

A Note From Allison Gadladge: 

Serving on the Erb Undergraduate Fellows Council alongside Claire this past academic year was a highlight of my time at Michigan. The Erb community, comprising Fellows Council, undergraduate students, staff, and dual degrees, is full of inspiring leaders who are incredibly passionate about the intersection of business and sustainability. I am most proud of hosting a record-setting number of community events this academic year (13 total!), which created so many shared memories with fellows. This year, we hosted our first-ever community events between dual-degrees and fellows, and I could not be more excited to have been a part of these inaugural events. As co-president, I loved learning from my peers while helping shape our program experiences and facilitating a community where everyone feels welcome, included, and curious. 

To our incoming co-presidents, Jackie and Scotten, never be afraid to create new events and traditions. Erb is a culmination of the ever-changing world of business and sustainability, so use this opportunity to lean into creating exactly what you want to see for our future. Enjoy every event, even if things do not go according to plan, and lean into the fact that this year will go by so quickly. Some of the most enjoyable Erb memories come in the unexpected, unplanned moments, when curiosity often strikes. 

My favorite part of being part of our Erb community was how the people were just as unique as the program is. As a Program in the Environment major, I loved taking classes at the Ross School of Business and learning about business sustainability through an interdisciplinary lens. The plethora of classes, co-curricular events, community events, and other opportunities to get involved within the Erb community allowed me to explore the many angles of business sustainability. I have learned about the diverse fields that business sustainability entails, allowing me to feel confident about what I want to do after graduation and to create lasting professional and personal connections. 

I am looking forward to joining the alumni community and connecting with Erbers beyond those I have met in my two years at Erb. I love knowing that there are Erbers everywhere and in every line of work. I hope to meet them at conferences, ErbReturns, and throughout the greater Michigan community. I am excited to learn from and with these individuals and, one day, come back and share my experiences with future Erbers. 

I have been honored to serve as co-president, and am grateful for the opportunity to have played a role in such an energetic and motivated community.