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Meet Alum Josh Ryor ’10, Assistant Secretary of Energy at Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Name: Josh Ryor

Class Year: 2010

Title: Assistant Secretary of Energy

Organization Name: Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I develop and execute strategic energy policy initiatives for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a focus on EV charging infrastructure and clean energy deployment, and provide guidance and support on energy policy and utility regulation matters to officials in the Healey-Driscoll Administration, including Governor’s Office officials and the leadership of the Commonwealth’s energy policy and utility regulation organizations.

 

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

This is a bit of a story. My first job out of Holy Cross was as a high school physics teacher at the Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest, New Jersey. Frankly, I didn’t have a plan for what to do after college. I just knew that I wanted to do something where I’d have a positive impact. I considered applying for the GE finance leadership program for a bit or applying for other positions in finance but it just didn’t feel like the right fit for me, plus I hadn’t done any finance internships while at Holy Cross. 

Second semester of my senior year two things happened. First, I started telling people that I was interested in getting into teaching, at least while I figured something else out. I’m not exactly sure who I was telling or why, but apparently that’s what I was doing because it seemed like every science major knew that that was my plan. I had been a physics tutor at Holy Cross for a couple of years and I enjoyed helping people succeed in their classes and to understand a subject I loved. One Friday evening at a party, a friend, Meg Emmich, asked if I was still looking for a teaching job. I said that I was and she connected me with the folks at Holy Angels the next week. The rest, as they say, is history.

Second, I took Energy Economics taught by Professor Matheson. I knew about halfway through the course that this was what I had been looking for: something that took the math and problem solving skills I had been learning in my physics and economics courses and applied it to tangible problems and projects. Since it was so late in the year when I realized I wanted to pursue energy issues more, I decided to give teaching a shot for a couple of years and to keep my interest in energy in the back of my mind. In my second year of teaching, I started looking at graduate programs in clean energy and energy policy. In 2011/2012 there were surprisingly few programs with a technical focus (now there are well-established programs at Yale, Michigan, Duke, MIT, etc.), so I decided to go the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, which had a program in Sustainable Energy Systems out of their School of Engineering that also had energy economics and policy courses as part of it’s curriculum. Ultimately, I took an unpaid internship in D.C. after grad school with the American Council on Renewable Energy focused on federal energy policy. After that, the policy stuff stuck.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was an extended Fall Orientation leader, I volunteered at an orphanage and tutored at a school in Worcester through SPUD, I participated in a weekly student religious and support group (I forget the name), I participated in two Spring Break service trips, I was part of the Physics National Honor society, I was an physics tutoring, and I participated in basketball and soccer intramural. There may have been more, but that’s all I can remember now. 

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Physics and Economics double major. The analytical and problem solving skills I developed in these disciplines led me to clean energy and climate policy. As I said above, I wanted to do something that had a positive impact. Physics and Economics also helped me further develop my love for solving complex problems and honed the skills needed to solve all types of complex problems, not just the problems put before me in the specific courses that I took. Once energy and climate issues were presented as a set of problems to solve in Professor Matheson’s course, it was obvious that this was how I could use the skills I had learned in my majors to have an impact in the world. Certainly, I can’t think of a more urgent, complex, and timely problem than climate change.  

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

I’ve already mentioned problem solving in general, but I’d also add, and really can’t stress enough, that the liberal arts education Holy Cross provided has been instrumental in my success in the energy policy space. Energy policy requires a fundamental understanding of the physics, engineering, economics, finance, legal, and political aspects of various interrelated social, political, bureaucratic, and physical systems. Very rarely am I the expert on a given subject in the room; in fact, I am most frequently more like a student who is peppering others with questions to understand and dissect the key issues of a subject. Holy Cross is where I learned how to ask the right questions. 

Also, I simply wouldn’t be in my current role if I didn’t have to take courses outside of my majors like a traditional college experience. I came into Holy Cross a lazy, unorganized writer with little patience for or skill in the finer points of writing (or really any of the points). Holy Cross helped me understand the importance of both clear and persuasive writing. While I didn’t hone my craft until much later, I simply wouldn’t have been able to succeed in graduate school or after without the foundation Holy Cross gave me.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

I have three general pieces of advice:

1) Listen to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI;

2) Work on understanding who you are, what you value, and being comfortable and confident in the answers to those questions. The rest tends to figure itself out when you’re honest and comfortable with yourself, but it’s not a perfect system and the process is never finished; and,

3) Be careful with advice. It’s just what worked (to varying degrees) for the person giving the advice. I appreciate the irony here.

In terms of advice for a career in energy policy, an ability and/or willingness to learn new things in different disciplines and a passion for addressing climate change will go a long way.
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Meet Alumna Lizzie McManus Streit ’13, Online Business- It’s a Veg World After All

Name: Lizzie McManus Streit

Class Year: 2013

Title: Self Employed/ Online Business

Organization: It’s a Veg World After All

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?  

I am a self-employed registered dietitian, cookbook author, and creator of It’s a Veg World After All who focuses on nutrition communications and culinary nutrition, providing science writing, recipe development, photography, and video content services.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you? 

Since I went to graduate school shortly after Holy Cross, I didn’t have a traditional employer right away. Instead, I spent the time between graduation and starting my masters program launching my blog, which started as a hobby website where I would showcase the ways I used vegetables from my community supported agriculture (CSA) share. I was definitely inspired by my coursework at HC to become a dietitian and pursue a career in food. One event that sticks out in my mind is a guest lecture that I attended in Fenwick by the professor David Montgomery from University of Washington (author of the book Dirt) on soil health. This lecture, as well as a course about nutrition and psychology offered by Professor Axelson that I took during my senior year, were two key events that inspired me to continue to learn about food systems and the intersections between food production, food choices, and the environment. Starting a blog and pursuing a masters in nutrition allowed me to explore these concepts while building up a portfolio that would eventually launch my career.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

I was the co-chair of the Eco-Action club, a member of the Presidential Task Force on the Environment, and an intern for the Regional Environmental Council in Worcester. I also wrote a thesis in sociology on natural disasters and mental health with Professor Daina Harvey as my adviser.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

I had a double major in Sociology and Environmental Studies. By combining these majors, I was exposed to both social and natural sciences. Having a liberal arts degree before pursuing a masters in science has really shaped how I work as a dietitian now. When writing about nutrition, I am able to understand and analyze scientific studies while also critically thinking about the application of science in real life.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

Reading and understanding scientific studies, public speaking, and writing!

 

6. What advice do you have for students today? 

It’s never too early or too late to start pursuing what you want to do for a career. If you don’t know what you want to do right now, don’t stress! Attend lectures, go to networking events, email with alumni who work in your field of interest, or start writing and reading about topics that interest you.
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Meet Alum Richard DiMatteo ’12, EVP/Head of Capital Markets at Highland Electric Transportation, Inc.

Name: Richard DiMatteo

Class Year: 2012

Title: EVP, Head of Capital Markets

Organization: Highland Electric Transportation, Inc.

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

At Highland Electric Transportation (HET), a national provider of EV school bus financing and services, I arrange innovative financing structures for fleet electrification projects on behalf of school districts looking to convert their vehicles to electric.

 

2. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

In additional to course work within the Economics and Environmental Studies programs, I participated in the Student Managed Endowment Fund (SMEF), College Choir and Admissions Office.

 

3. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

As an Economics major, I had interest in how new financing products and business models (specifically in energy) could unlock opportunities and value in traditional markets.

 

4. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

While at HC, I regularly attended events which brought alumni to campus and through that process was introduced to the GE FMP program, my first career move. I was consistently impressed by alumni from GE and decided I wanted the same strong foundation for my own career.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Critical thinking. My broad spectrum of coursework at HC prepared me well to objectively review big picture issues while simultaneously managing details.
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Meet #CrusaderIntern Adeline McCullough ’21, Animal Husbandry and Family and Youth Education Intern

Name: Adeline McCullough

Class Year: 2021

Internship Position: Animal Husbandry and Family and Youth Education Intern

Internship Employer: Mass Audubon Joppa Flatts Education Center

 

 

1.Tell us about where you interned over the summer and the kind of work you are doing.

I interned at a Mass Audubon Center in Newburyport this summer. There I cared for over 40 species of animals. I fed them and regulated the water chemistry of 30-gallon and 100-gallon saltwater tanks. Also, I led programs educating families about marine life.  I gave presentations, and facilitated opportunities where visitors could hold our animals. Additionally, I went on numerous trips to collect marine animals from around New England such as Plum Island, York Beach, and Gloucester.

 

 

2. Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

My internship required a detailed knowledge of the anatomy, phylogeny, and environments of the animals housed at the center. My previous coursework in biology and chemistry at Holy Cross gave me extensive knowledge in these areas, which allowed me to be confident and prepared in my internship.

3. What has surprised you about being an intern?

What surprised me about being an intern was how much I enjoyed it! The other interns and employees shared the same passion for animals and the environment as I have. I had fun in bonding with the other interns, going on tidepooling trips, and even in the grunt work like cleaning the tanks.

4. How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

This experience made me interested in a career path working with animals. Before my internship I had a passion for biology, but I had no idea what path I wanted to follow. Now that I have experience with caring for animals, I know I want to incorporate that into my career hunt for the future.

5. Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

My advice to other Holy Cross Students is take every opportunity you can to experience something new. A like or dislike are both equally valuable when looking towards a future career.
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Meet CrusaderIntern Rebecca Stanton’18

Meet Rebecca Stanton’18 Research Assistant Intern at The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse

Tell us about where you are interning and the kind of work you are doing.

My internship is held in New York City at The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. My tasks mainly involve conducting extensive research and literature review for one of the organization’s on-going reports. This report is on early prevention programs and my job is to research and analyze the effectiveness of current programs and write overviews. These overviews will be analyzed and referenced in the report. Also, I am completing data entry for a report that will evaluate each state’s insurance coverage for substance use services. Additionally, I have been given the opportunity to write a blog post on opioid addiction and the elderly. Therefore, I have been researching the most recent data on this topic and its significance.

Give us an example of how you have applied your academic learnings to your internship?

As a psychology major, I have taken a substantial number of courses on mental health and courses that reference addiction. Therefore, I understand the majority of terms that are being used at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse and the organization’s mission statement. In my courses, psychology and others, I have conducted research and written research papers. At my internship, I have been using these writing and research skills that I have developed from my courses and help from my professors. For example, I have used my background knowledge of Psychology Statistics to evaluate studies and understand to what extent they are effective.

What has surprised you about being an intern?

The most surprising aspect of being an intern is how much responsibility I have been given. Before starting the internship, I expected that I would be writing and researching, but what I did not expect was the extent to which I felt part of a team. I frequently have meetings with my supervisors and research associates about the on-goings reports and find that my tasks are valued and appreciated.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans / goals?

I plan to go into the healthcare sector, specifically as a Nurse Practitioner, and my experience thus far has reaffirmed my plans. What I have learned from my internship is the prevalence of addiction and the responsibility that healthcare professionals share in tackling this problem. From the extensive research I have done, I now have a better understanding of what influence I could potentially have in minimizing addiction.

Any internship advice to pass on to other Holy Cross students?

For students interested in an internship, the best advice I can give is to be open-minded. There are going to be things that you find to be exciting and intriguing and others that you find to be tedious. However, an internship is meant to be a learning experience and there is always something you can take away from it.