Adriana C. Nieto specialized in Sustainability and Development (SusDev) and Geospatial Data Sciences at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and will graduate in April. During her time at SEAS, she has been a peer mentor in the Next-Gen Scholars Program and a SusDev track leader. 

What did you do before coming to SEAS?

I spent four years at SUNY Cortland, five hours away from my home in Long Island, where I majored in environmental science and geographic information systems (GIS). I solidified my interest in water and coastal resilience throughout those four years. The summer before my junior year, I volunteered in Hawai`i, where I learned about local sustainability efforts and the impacts of tourism from Native Hawaiians. Additionally, the summer before my senior year, I completed an internship with a Long Island nonprofit organization working toward solutions for waterfront pollution. I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in May 2024, then moved to Ann Arbor the following August to start my master’s degree at SEAS.

What drew you to the school? 

I had not considered graduate school as a potential next step until the fall semester of my senior year, after receiving encouragement and support from my professors. I found myself searching several keyword combinations like “master’s of science programs + sustainability + community.” I eventually discovered SEAS and knew immediately that I wanted to apply, given my goal to further complement my essential scientific and technical knowledge surrounding climate change and its impacts with the diverse and incredibly critical lived experiences of communities across the country and the globe. The capstone project pathway and the competencies that students gained from that experience also interested me.

What has your SEAS experience been like?

Socially, my SEAS experience was wonderful. I was very worried about moving to a new state that I had never been to before and starting a challenging program all on my own. I had no idea that there was nothing really to worry about, since SEAS introduced me to some of the most incredible and hardworking people I know, many of whom I now consider my closest friends.

My friends helped me make some of my fondest memories here in Michigan, especially during my first summer. I visited so many new places across the state and swam in so many new bodies of water, like Halfmoon Lake in Pinckney and Douglas Lake next to the U-M Biological Station.

SEAS also introduced me to inspirational faculty and staff. It’s been an honor to collaborate with SEAS Assistant Dean Kim Elliott, my fellow Next-Gen Scholars Program peer mentors, my fellow SusDev track leaders, the SEAS Student Center, SEAS professors and lecturers, my capstone project team and client, and the SEAS Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment.

It’s also been an honor to learn from community members across Michigan and elsewhere, who are keeping the momentum for environmental justice going despite so many challenges. I was lucky enough to attend the 2026 Centering Justice Conference in Los Angeles this past March, where I learned how different efforts can look for different organizations, even if they share a city.

Academically, my SEAS experience was challenging in many ways, as I had hoped for. I can count on one hand the concepts in my coursework that I came with in-depth prior knowledge of. I learned a new coding language and mapping software, for example, in addition to several other sustainability competencies, as a result of my coursework, capstone project, and work experience. I cannot believe how fast two years went by, and I am very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had to grow personally and professionally in that timespan.

In addition, receiving some funding was definitely a highlight for me, as it helped ease my mind about attending graduate school. I received the SEAS Merit Scholarship, which covered my first semester’s tuition, and later received the Center for the Education of Women (CEW)+ Irma M. Wyman Scholarship in the Fall 2025 semester. The CEW+ scholarship also came with the opportunity to join a lovely network of other diligent students across the U-M campuses and all sorts of disciplines.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

Have fun. If you can, attend the SEAS Orientation at the Bio Station before your first semester. Take a walk by the Huron River with your friends. Go to a bar and dance. Try something new as often as possible.

Get involved. Attend SEAS and campus-wide events, especially the ones with free stuff. Serve on SEAS Student Government. Serve as a track leader. Work with U-M centers and teams with missions that align with your goals.

Get familiar with your resources and ask questions. Go to office hours. Talk to a professor about your shared interests and aspirations (and potential paid research opportunities). Go to the SEAS Student Center. Go to the library. There’s a resource for every single question you have!

Take care of yourself. I know what it feels like to grapple with finances and other stressors in addition to pursuing higher education. Turn to your support system as often as you can, or schedule a U-M CAPS appointment if necessary. Slow down and reflect. You are not alone. You deserve to be here!

What are your plans after graduation?

I will conclude my work as a Next-Gen Scholars Program peer mentor by preparing materials that will be used to onboard 2026-2027 peer mentors. I also will conclude my work with the SEAS theme course instructors by finalizing an extensive resource repository for instructors and mobilizing crucial insight on the theme course model from interviews, as well as my own experience. Furthermore, I will continue my work with the Tishman Center data center team until roughly the end of this year, collecting and visualizing key information about data centers, related infrastructure and environmental justice/vulnerability indicators across the 12 Midwest states.

I plan to move back home to Long Island at the beginning of August and find a full-time position somewhere in New York, although I do hope to end up by the water in Maine one day. That is a dream I’ve had for a while now. Fingers crossed!

Read more about Adriana in this CEW+ profile.