By Daniel Brasington ’25
Joe Cahill ’26, an environmental studies major with minors in Chinese and economics, has developed a passion for sustainability, and he’s acting on it every chance he gets.
In addition to taking a wide range of courses, Cahill has written articles for The Fierce Green Fire and the Department of Environmental Studies’ newsletter. He has developed entrepreneurial thinking skills as a Wofford Launch Scholar, and he studied coastal ecology and natural resource management during a semester abroad in Zanzibar, an African chain of islands off the coast of Tanzania.
“I have had a great experience within the Department of Environmental Studies, and because Wofford is a liberal arts institution, I have been able to apply my passion for sustainability to a number of different fields,” says Cahill.
Last summer Cahill completed a summer internship as a sustainability analyst with PTG Silicones in New Albany, Indiana, and he is now a marketing and research intern with GIC Group, an international agribusiness company specializing in financial advisory services based in Bethesda, Maryland. Through his work with the GIC Group, Cahill was given the opportunity to research, write and publish an article for the Global Food Safety Forum on sustainable food packing and its effect on safety as well as the economy. (Read the article here.)
“The article focuses on sustainability in the food industry and the broader trajectory of our economy,” says Cahill. “I think it offers valuable insights into how a Wofford student perceives environmental issues and could hopefully help raise awareness within our community.”
Before being tasked with this project, Cahill had limited knowledge of sustainable food packaging and food safety, but he embraced this challenge. The newfound awareness made him realize the prevalence of food packaging waste and the need for widespread change in the direction of conservation.
“Hopefully this article makes people think about where food packaging could be in 10 years and how far we have come,” says Cahill. “My goal is to shine a light on how pervasive food packaging is in our lives and the changes we can make in our pursuit of a more sustainable world.”
According to Richard Gilmore, who has been Cahill’s direct supervisor with the GIC Group, Cahill has been outstanding. “His portfolio of responsibilities includes research, analysis and business development. In all cases, he meets the highest standard of professionalism,” says Gilmore. “He is an innovative disrupter, thinking out of the box in a manner that strengthens the conclusions of his research and opens new strategic opportunities. He contributes a great deal to our team and is a person of the utmost integrity.”
Cahill credits his Wofford experience with providing him the necessary foundation for applying various research methods and critical thinking skills throughout the process of publishing this article.
“Wofford has given me the opportunity to cast a wide net to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible,” says Cahill. “My studies both at Wofford and abroad and my internships have helped me realize how important it is for all of us to start thinking about how sustainability is connected to all facets of life.”