Two Business Students Visit the Amazon, Network with Sustainability Experts, Gain New Perspectives at COP30 Summit

Author: Claire Hall

Two UConn business students who are passionate about sustainability and a healthier planet, attended the COP30 climate conference last month in Belem, Brazil, adjacent to the Amazon rainforest.

Both graduate student Caroline Keary ’25, ’26 MS and senior Aminieli Hopson ’26 said the experience was one of the best of their lives, and that what they learned will benefit their careers.

They left with a new network of like-minded climate advocates and an appreciation for both the enormous challenges of climate preservation and renewed respect for those who dedicate their lives to it.

Keary is completing her master’s degree in Social Responsibility and Impact in Business and is a graduate intern in the UConn Office of Sustainability. Hopson is a Real Estate major who developed a globalized mindset in part due to growing up in both the U.S. and Tanzania.

COP, an annual UN climate conference, invites world leaders, scientists, activists, diplomats and other communities to work together to solve global sustainability issues. This year’s conference focused on accelerating global climate action and greater focus on climate justice, forest protection, and climate finance. Hopson and Keary participated in the program from Nov. 14 to Nov. 24, along with seven peers from the UConn COP Fellowship Program.

Read the full article on UConn Today here.