Next-Gen Scholars Program

Hi! My name is Tyler Bunday, and I'm a second-year student at SEAS specializing in Environmental Justice and Ecosystem Science and Management. I grew up in the Bay Area and have a deep love for nature. Before school, I worked as an engineer for a few years before deciding I needed to make a career change. Outside of school, I enjoy anything outdoors like biking, hiking, and especially swimming. I also enjoy playing volleyball/tennis and love to cook. Feel free to reach out for a chat about anything, I really value making heartfelt connections.

Hello! My name is Adriana, and I am from Long Island, NY. I hold a BS in Environmental Geoscience, with a minor in Geographic Information Systems, from SUNY Cortland. I am thrilled to be one of the Next-Gen Peer Advisors this year! The Next-Gen Scholars Program has been a much-needed guiding light along my graduate school journey. I am specializing in both SusDev and GDS. I love all things water and people, and hope to combine equitable community engagement and data visualization in my future career as much as possible. Apart from doing research surrounding compound flooding infrastructure for my own master’s capstone project, I am also doing research on student professional competency development within the SEAS theme-based master’s projects. When I am not working, you can probably find me watching TV, winning multiple rounds of Slap Jack in a row, or sharing a meal with friends. If you’d like to chat more about Next-Gen, SEAS, or literally anything else, do not hesitate to reach out!

Ecuadorian from Chicago, soccer defender, and former second-degree taekwondo black belt. Bachelor's of Science in Engineering (BSE) in Industrial Engineering (IOE) from UofM, and currently pursuing a Master's of Sustainable Systems from the School of Environment and Sustainability (SEAS). A fun thing that I did over this summer was build an extension to my grandmother's garden and plant 3 Blueberry bushes and 5 strawberry bushes, with maintenance on two orange trees, a lemon tree, and a peach tree. 

Hey! I am a dual Masters student at SEAS focused on Sustainability and Development and at Taubman College pursuing a degree in Urban and Regional Planning. I hope to meld my studies to work in climate resiliency planning in international contexts particularly in the Global South. Prior to graduate studies, I worked in environmental education in Title I K-8 schools in Los Angeles. In my free time, I like to tend to my garden, swim in the Huron, or share a meal with friends. 

I am a second-year landscape architecture graduate student. I was born in the US but moved to London, England when I was very young. I am an artist and a writer and enjoy both the professional and playful side of personal expression. I am a caretaker at the University of Michigan Arboretum, a live/work position. This position allows me to serve the natural community by utilizing skills acquired in work experiences like tree removal, invasive species removal & plant design. As a mature student, the many jobs I have performed before starting formal education include food service, hospital clerical, childcare, secretarial and floristry, to name a few. The public interface component of many of these positions has transformed into an asset that I hope to continue to explore in my work as a landscape architect and future educator. I am deeply interested in helping people, in the words of Grayson Perry, "notice things," that are otherwise overlooked in our surroundings. 

Dillon Foster is a second-year Sustainability and Development student with a passion for political ecology, critical geographies, and spatial justice. Before SEAS, he directed refugee education programs in Lebanon, worked with grassroots movements in northeastern Syria, and has since presented his research at conferences across the U.S. and abroad. When he’s not buried in maps and archives, Dillon runs a small online antique shop and can often be found digging through old barns for hidden treasures, experimenting with sewing projects, and checking out far too many books from the library.

Hello, my name is Marianna (she/her), and I'm studying Environmental Policy and Planning with a focus on climate and energy policy. I'm from Brazil, but I have been living in Michigan for about 6 years. Some of my hobbies include listening to music, going to new places, and spending time with friends and family.

My name is Daniel Tinajero. I am Mexican-American from San Diego, CA and I am one of the
Next-Gen Peer Advisors as well as a second-year dual-degree graduate student pursuing a
Master’s in Environment and Sustainability and an MBA at the Ross School of Business.
When I am not at Dana or Ross, you can usually find me running or working out. One of my
favorite pastimes outside of that is cooking and making great food. Over the summer I traveled
to Hong Kong, Korea and San Francisco. I am excited to be a Next-Gen Peer Advisor, and look
forward to working with everyone.

Hello, my name is Sofia I. Jordan, and I'm from New York. I completed my undergraduate studies at Binghamton University. I’m currently a second-year master’s student in the Ecosystem Science and Management (ESM) track. I have the honor to be part of Dr. Ivette Perfecto’s lab and am part of her lab’s amazing master’s research project team.

During my first year, I had the opportunity to engage in research both within and outside of Michigan. Outside of academics, you can often find me on the soccer field, at the gym, dancing, eating, or enjoying a good *charla* with anyone.

First Generation Student | Queer | Latina | Texas Native

As a second year master’s student at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment & Sustainability, I am passionate about working within the intersections of communications, environmental justice, and higher education. As a first generation, latinx student, I hope to bring my unique perspectives, passions, and knowledge to projects that will help build an accessible, equitable, and sustainable world through communications and environmental storytelling.