Congratulations, Class of 2026 Interns!

Sidney White

Campus Garden Intern: Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025, Fall 2025

Sidney graduated with a BA in psychology and sociology and a minor in classical studies. She will be working as an Administrative Specialist with Carolina Psychology Group in Winston-Salem before returning to Wake Forest this fall to pursue an MA in counseling. 

Sidney’s sustainability journey at Wake Forest started with SLG ‘26 and her volunteer work in the Campus Garden. While SLG helped her explore the breadth of sustainability initiatives on campus and in the community, it quickly became clear where her passions lay. Sidney became a Campus Garden intern in just her second semester on campus, a position she ended up holding longer than any other student in the office’s history. Over the course of six semesters and two summers, Sidney helped transform the space, infusing her academic interests with her passion for regenerative agriculture. She saw the garden not only as an opportunity for engaged learning, but as an opportunity for community, inclusion, and mental health to thrive. From the World Tea Association, for which she served as president, to the Black Student Alliance and more, Sidney worked to introduce groups of students to the garden for the first time, helping them discover that environmental health, mental health, and healthy food systems all go hand in hand. She culminated her efforts this past spring at the Southeastern Student Sustainability Conference, where she presented “Rooted in Care: How Gardens Sustain Mental Health and Grow Communities.” Sidney is poised to transform the lives of her future clients for the better. The Wake Forest community is lucky to have her stick around for two more years.

Olivia Delgado

Organics Intern: Fall 2024
Waste Reduction & Diversion Intern: Spring 2025, Fall 2025

Olivia graduated cum laude with a BS in biology (with honors) and minors in entrepreneurship, chemistry, and environmental science. She also received an Honorable Mention from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Olivia will be pursuing her PhD in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia.

Olivia’s contributions to sustainability at Wake have been (to put it mildly) robust. She began her Wake Forest journey as a member of SLG ‘26, where she worked on developing opportunities and pathways for students to get involved in the Winston-Salem community. She subsequently became a two-time Earth Talks speaker with presentations on the benefits of rewilding and the impacts of the climate crisis in Venice, infused sustainability into her role as a resident advisor, and became the president of dEaCOfriendly, a student group focused on environmental initiatives. Remarkably, all of this took place before she officially joined the Office of Sustainability team. Olivia developed her own internship focused on expanding the organics collection program on campus and, over time, expanded her role to include other elements of waste reduction and diversion, both within the campus core and in the athletics facilities. The guides and standard operating procedures she produced are still used to this day in Facilities. In all of her efforts, Olivia was a pillar of reliability, independence, and dedication. Even in her final semester, she continued to give back by helping to mentor this year’s Earth Talks presenters. With her fierce persistence, fervent curiosity, intentional approach, and love of science, Olivia’s future is exceptionally bright as she heads off to earn her doctorate.

Ella Klein

First-Year Student Engagement Intern: Fall 2023
Student Engagement Intern: Spring 2024, Fall 2024

Ella graduated with a BA in environment and sustainability studies and minors in anthropology and journalism. She was awarded the Bynum G. Shaw prize in journalism in 2025. 

Ella came to Wake poised to stay true to her convictions, follow her own path, and leave Wake better than she found it. As a Winston-Salem native, her perspective of injustices and inequities in the local community helped shape not only her own approach to sustainability, but others’ as well. As a first-year student in SLG ‘26, she and her group members worked to bridge the gap between Wake Forest and the Winston-Salem community, and she was only getting started. Ella spent the next three semesters putting her creativity and event planning skills to work as an engagement intern, developing interactive, informative, and celebratory events such as the Spring Equinox Festival, the Tohi Garden Party series, a collaboration with the World Tea Association, and “Gourd Luck, Babe,” a fall-themed event focused on community and climate-friendly foods. Beyond her role with the office, Ella’s passion for storytelling grew throughout her time at Wake. The campus community got to know her as a journalist for the Old Gold & Black, then as its Environmental Editor, and finally as its Editor-in-Chief. Ella used her platform to advocate for the values that comprise Wake’s Pro Humanitate motto, including by presenting an Earth Talk that made the case for journalism’s vital role in human and planetary health. Ella leaves Wake having made a lasting impact across campus, one that will only expand as she pursues her next chapter. 

Tehya Weaver

Alternative Transportation Intern: Fall 2024
Sustainability Data Intern: Spring 2025, Fall 2025

Tehya graduated with a BS in mathematical economics and a minor in statistics. Following graduation, she will be heading to Raleigh to join Relay Pro as a Billing Operations Specialist.

Tehya joined the Office of Sustainability intern team her junior year, utilizing her unique skill set to process data and develop infographics and other materials to be used in reporting and campus-wide communication efforts. She was vital in helping the office share metrics and progress with a wider audience, covering a wide range of topics, from alternative transportation and energy reduction to campus engaged learning. While her specific position did not require significant collaboration with her teammates, Tehya nonetheless proved to be the epitome of a team player. Whenever a call for volunteers went out or another intern needed assistance, she was often the first to lend a helping hand. Tehya’s easygoing nature and adaptability, combined with her reliability and selflessness, make her a pleasure to work with and she will undoubtedly be an asset to her new company and colleagues in Raleigh. Meanwhile, her dedication to sustainability at Wake will be sorely missed.

Juan Londoño

SLG Student Coordinator: Fall 2023, Spring 2024

Juan graduated cum laude with a BA in economics and philosophy and a minor in schools, education, and society. He will be spending the coming year gaining experience and preparing for graduate school. 

Juan came to Wake Forest with an impressive resume and immediately joined sustainability efforts on campus as a member of SLG ‘26. He and his teammates put together a campaign to influence the consumption habits of their peers, focusing on tangible, everyday behaviors students could adopt to reduce their environmental footprint. The vision, insight, and leadership he demonstrated throughout the year led to him being named the SLG Student Coordinator for the class of 2027, where he helped guide the next cohort of sustainability leaders. Juan’s enthusiasm, level-headed approach to challenges, and dedication to improving the lives of others made him an ideal fit for the role and will continue to serve him well in his future endeavors. His understanding of the complex interplay between economics, politics, equity, and justice, combined with his empathetic nature, will undoubtedly lead him to an impactful career that embraces the Pro Humanitate mindset.

Charly Mendygral

Dining Engagement Intern: Fall 2025, Spring 2026

Charly graduated cum laude with a BA in politics and international affairs (with honors) and environment and sustainability studies. Following graduation, she will be moving to Indianapolis to work as a Sustainability Specialist at Toyota Material Handling.

Charly may have joined the intern team late in her Wake Forest career, but she more than made up for it in impact. A true go-getter with a vision and an unmatched ability to execute, Charly channeled her knowledge and passions into her work this past year. Her engagement efforts spanned a range of topics—plant-forward diets, third-party certified sourcing, and food waste reduction—and methodologies, such as tabling, Instagram reels, pop-up events, film screenings, and partnerships with RAs. She even expanded the scope of her position by partnering with Campus Kitchen to educate students on food insecurity in the Winston-Salem community and what Wake Forest is doing to help address the problem. In addition to her impactful work as an intern, Charly also capped off her senior year by giving an informative, well-crafted Earth Talk describing the business case for sustainability. Charly’s maturity, reliability, and selflessness—giving her time to help mentor younger interns—will be sorely missed in the office next year. However, knowing that she will be integrating sustainability in the corporate world provides plenty of optimism for the future.

Parker Thompson

Dining Engagement Intern: Fall 2023, Spring 2024

Parker graduated magna cum laude with a BA in environmental science and minors in economics and Chinese. She will be heading to Wyoming this summer to work in hospitality at Yellowstone National Park.

Parker began her sustainability journey at Wake Forest as a member of SLG ‘26 and immediately stood out for her infectious optimism and people-first mentality. Her group’s collaboration with Harvest Table Culinary Group led to the implementation of the “Just Try It” initiative in the Pit, providing students with a way to explore their curiosity without producing excess food waste. This successful foray into sustainability in dining led to her becoming the Dining Engagement Intern, a role that she helped transform. From plant-forward pop-ups and food waste reduction campaigns to sustainable station takeovers in the Pit and leading a plant-forward cooking class, Parker truly helped foster a culture of sustainable dining choices on campus. Furthermore, the data she collected and analyzed from the student survey she developed has proven instrumental in the creation of student engagement and educational opportunities ever since. Behind Parker’s friendly exterior is a driven, determined individual who knows how to get results, and one who will certainly be a force for good as she embarks on a career in environment and sustainability.

Roksanna Keyvan

Social Media & Graphic Design Intern: Fall 2023

Roksanna graduated magna cum laude with an interdisciplinary BA in environmental and social justice and a minor in French studies. In addition to graduating with departmental honors, she was named a Stamps Leadership Merit Scholar in 2023 and a Civic Scholar in 2026, and was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Roksanna will be heading to the UK to pursue an MPhil in global risk and resilience at the University of Cambridge.

While Roksanna only spent one semester with the Office of Sustainability intern team, her marketing and communication skills left a positive impact on the office, helping to expand the reach of programs, events, and campaigns. Her ambition, both within and outside the office, has been second to none, and sustainability has always been the throughline. Whether she was giving an Earth Talk exploring the intersection of fashion, capitalism, law, and sustainability, infusing environmental themes into the Wakeville arts festival, or embarking on humanitarian work focused on environmental justice in developing countries, her commitment to the planet and its inhabitants never wavered. There’s no telling how far Roksanna’s intellectual prowess, proactive nature, and lofty aspirations will take her.

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