Marlene Maurer’s story begins on the other side of the world. After graduating college in Germany, Marlene got her first internship in Beijing, China, working as a corporate headhunter. There, after witnessing first-hand the rapid economic growth and its harmful effects on the environment, Marlene found a new life passion — helping the environment.
After China, Marlene travelled to Central and South America, where she helped build a sustainable farm in Nicaragua. When it was time for her to pursue a master’s degree, she chose to study environmental, economic, and social sustainability in Barcelona, Spain. At last, after visiting dozens of countries, Marlene ended up as an intern at the Port of Seattle.
“I moved to the United States after school and began searching for an internship in sustainability. I was new to the area and curious to see how Seattle government agencies implemented sustainability in their organizations. I stumbled upon the Port of Seattle internship on Glassdoor and immediately applied for it.”
Working on the Solid Waste Management Program, Marlene implemented new changes to support the Port’s commitment to environmental sustainability. She held trainings for employees on proper waste management, and created new guidelines for internal events by encouraging the use of compost bins and compostable utensils. “The internship has been a really good experience. Everyone has been accepting of new ideas and supportive to make them happen. I am able to gain real-world work experience and help the Port become a more sustainable organization”.
Marlene will be concluding her internship at the end of the year, and hopes to find a full-time position doing what she loves — travelling the world, and helping bridge business and environmental sustainability.
