The campus organization Net Impact partnered with the Career Development Center (CDC) for a networking trip to Philadelphia on April 3. Net Impact focuses on sustainability on campus, which includes environmental and social change. Missy Gutkowski, Senior Assistant Director of Student Bucknell Professional Network (BPN) worked with Net Impact to plan the trip.

“The Bucknell Professional Network provides students with a forum to interact with alumni, parents and employers for professional and networking opportunities and to learn about industries in which they can apply their education and skills,” Gutkowski said.

The students visited numerous destinations around the Philadelphia area to learn about sustainability in the real world. The first stop was The Campbell’s Soup Company in Camden, N.J. At Campbell’s, the students were greeted with snacks and a presentation on how sustainability has developed recently in the manufacturing industry. Since the location of Campbell’s headquarters is in Camden, one of New Jersey’s most impoverished areas, they have been working within the city to enrich its children and environment. Campbell’s demonstrated how both the environment and social justice can affect the brilliance of a company.

“It was interesting to see a mixture between philanthropy and industry. I was inspired by the representatives and how they’re working with the Camden community to better a society as well as Campbell’s itself,” Lauren Gambardella ’17 said.

The students also visited B Corporation (B-Corp), located in Wayne, Pa. B-Corp helps companies become more sustainable.

“It was really neat to see such a young and hip environment at B-Lab. It amazed me to learn about all the different services they offer and the tools they make available to anyone online like their Impact Assessment. I hope that the B-Corp Certification becomes something that a majority of businesses strive to have, and one that consumers look for when making purchasing decisions,” Jenna Weaver ’15 said.

The day in Philadelphia ended with an alumni dinner at White Dog Café located in Wayne, known for its sustainable practices. This was a great chance for students to meet with alumni and talk about how their experience at the University prepared them for their careers. The alumni at the dinner represented a variety of careers that deal with sustainability, ranging from finance to marketing.

“The alumni dinner had great food and great conversations. The dinner provided not only an intimate networking opportunity, but also benefited students of career and college advice,” Marissa Graham ’16 said.