Intern Q&A: Claire Hathaway Rusam

We're so appreciative of the hard work of our talented interns, so we're thrilled to introduce them in our summer Intern Q&A series. Today, we're getting to know intern Claire Hathaway Rusam.

Name: Claire Hathaway Rusam 

Where You’re From: Munich, Germany & San Francisco, CA 

Where You’re Quarantining: Providence, RI (for the moment, leaving soon)

How do you practice sustainability in your everyday life?

I became a vegetarian when I was 8 because I wanted to become a veterinarian. I’ve maintained vegetarianism since then but am now motivated by environmental reasons.

What are your future career aspirations?

I discovered my career aspirations when I spent my junior year in Paris. In the latter six months, I was working full time at the OECD on an SDG research and implementation team. I realized that I want to work towards sustainable development in the international realm, since progress relies on global cooperation. I just graduated from Brown University with a BA in International Relations. This fall, I’m moving back to Paris to get an MSc in Sustainability and Social Innovation from HEC Paris. I look forward to staying in Paris and navigating this career path!

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

I would honestly say my mom. I'm inspired by her life path and career path, and see many similarities between our ambitions. Throughout her life, she's moved between various countries, which has let me feel confident in my ability to do the same. She also started a translation and localization company in the early 2000s and has run it since then. When I was younger, I took her tenacity and work ethic for granted but now whenever I see her, I am so impressed by her skills that have allowed her company to gain an international presence and be successful. Through her actions and advice, she encourages me to plan out and pursue the goals that I set for myself.

Pick a song to describe yourself and explain why you chose it:

"Marilyn" by Mount Kimbie. Mount Kimbie is one of my favorite artists and this is one of my favorite songs by them. I'm never not in the mood to listen to it, so I suppose it must fit my personality to some extent! The rhythm can be quite complex but the consistent cymbal ties everything together and makes the song feel like it's always moving forward. The melody and lyrics feel introspective with a tinge of optimism, which I think is my default mentality.