My name is Marina Laic, and I am currently a candidate for a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences at Western University and an HBA from the Ivey Business School, with the hopes to move into Law in the future. I am most interested in the intersection between healthcare and business and hope to occupy a professional position in this area in which I can apply my knowledge. I most appreciate my free time spent travelling, hiking with my dogs, and reading.  

What is your personal definition of sustainability?

To me, the definition of sustainability is future-oriented thinking. I believe that it represents a necessary shift from the prioritization of only monetary gain to a more holistic approach to defining success that encompasses compassion and respect for all affected resources and parties. Sustainability means thinking about how actions played out now will affect the well-being of future generations, as well as their impact on the environment, which we should appreciate and care for. Ultimately, thinking sustainably allows for decisions to create an equitable impact that we can be proud of, rather than a sole prioritization of a single goal. 

What role do you see sustainability playing in your professional career?

I believe sustainability to play a huge part in my career in every aspect. Although I am unsure as to which route my career will take, I am sure that sustainable thinking will remain a key factor in decision-making criteria every step of the way. This future-oriented thinking may seem to ‘complicate’ decisions, but to me, sustainable thinking helps to justify the right decisions rather than complicate the decision-making process. Ultimately, the goal of decision-makers has already begun to shift from one that is profit-driven to one driven more and more by responsibility, and this is a mindset that is fully supported by sustainable decision-making processes. 

As an individual hoping to work in the intersection of healthcare and business, I believe sustainability initiatives to be pertinent to roles that I might find myself occupying. Sustainability in healthcare encompasses not only environmental initiatives but the maintenance and improvement of the well-being of future generations in a social and health-oriented aspect. Sustainability decisions in the healthcare field are multi-dimensional and require high levels of knowledge pertaining to both sustainability and health, and this is something that I am hoping to be able to navigate through my academic journey. 

What sustainability projects have you been engaged in?

As an executive member of the UWO Dream Team, a charity group in the Faculty of Health Sciences, I have participated in and organized many sustainably achieved events. Some events include bottle drives, where empty bottles in student neighborhoods in the London area were collected and recycled to raise money for charity. This not only promoted awareness for recycling but also helped us to achieve our fundraising goals. I have also run a pumpkin carving contest on campus in which organic waste was delivered to animal shelters. To me, being a part of any decision-making body involves the thought and inclusion of any possible sustainable outcomes. It should be an integral part of any decision-making process to consider how any actions can be adapted to include and satisfy environmental responsibilities.