Reflections from Daniela Shebitz
As a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at Kean University, Daniela Shebitz helps to provide scientific support for community-based conservation efforts. She has also dedicated her career to helping students develop a deeper connection to nature and preparing the next generation of sustainability leaders. Through teaching, mentorship, and service, she has inspired students to pursue careers in education, research, environmental advocacy, and beyond.
As part of the 2026 AASHE Fellows recognition, Daniela reflects on what she is learning at this stage of her career, the role of higher education in advancing sustainability, and the professional accomplishment that brings her the greatest pride.
What are you learning at this stage of your career about sustainability in higher education?
At this stage of my career, I’m learning that advancing sustainability in higher education inevitably comes with challenges, including those related to budgets, cultural differences, politics, and time and capacity. However, I’m also seeing a growing network of people committed to this work. That sense of community and collaboration is powerful, and it often becomes the driving force that helps overcome these barriers and move initiatives forward.
In what ways do you believe higher education sustainability professionals can meet this moment in history?
We have no choice but to persevere and grow stronger as a society through sustainability efforts. While the challenges can feel insurmountable, this moment also calls us to rise to them with greater urgency and purpose. Our actions and technologies increasingly shape our air, water, and the health of the planet, yet we also have more knowledge, tools, and innovation than ever before to drive meaningful change. Higher education is uniquely positioned to meet this moment by connecting diverse disciplines and perspectives, inspiring both colleagues and students, and helping to co-create the more sustainable future that society urgently needs.
What professional achievement or accomplishment are you most proud of?
My greatest professional accomplishment is the impact I see in my students. Many come into my university without a strong connection to the natural world, and I have the unique responsibility of helping them discover its beauty and complexity. Watching them grow into educators, nonprofit leaders, researchers, environmental lawyers, and ecologists, and knowing they are carrying these lessons into their own work, is incredibly meaningful to me.