Virtual Internship Stories: Zan Carraher-Kang

Name: Zan Carraher-Kang
School: General Studies ‘22
Major: Sustainable Development
Center: Nairobi
Internship: Research and Consulting Intern at Sabio Consulting

Where are you from and which organization are you working with?
I'm from the Boston area and that is currently where I am. I’m starting the tailend of the Dual BA with Sciences Po, majoring in Sustainable Development. I’m working with Sabio Consulting in Nairobi, Kenya.

How are you finding your internship?
I thought this internship would give me the opportunity to get some professional experience. I’m interested in consulting, but I particularly like research. I’ve done research on the gender-related impacts of taxation policies, e-waste disposal and management, and the role of women in the Macadamia Nut chain in Kenya. I’ve learned so much about green tech, especially PV units and e-waste, and the policy landscape in East Africa. 

If you could meet anyone in the past, present, or future, who would it be and why?
I feel like no matter what answer you give, it can be read into a lot. I just want to have a really interesting conversation. I would like to sit down with Michelle Obama. I would want to talk about her role in politics, as well as how she reconciles love for her husband with the good and bad that he has done politically. I want to talk about those dynamics-I’ve always been really curious. 

What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about changing the general conception of progress. One thing that really gets me fired up is that a lot of people don’t realize that what is the most economically sound is also the most socially and environmentally sound. The current speed at which we enact policy and legislation, as well as corporate responses to environmental and social issues, needs to increase a lot.

What inspires you?
I always want to be a better version of myself on a personal level, making sure I always reach out to friends and reading things that interest me, as well as on a professional and academic level. I’m pretty naturally competitive, so I compete with myself. Knowing who I am now, knowing who I have been before, and knowing who I want to be in the future inspires me.

What’s your plan for after university?
Part of me is interested in investment banking, particularly in asset and wealth management, and helping clients transform their portfolios into being more environmentally and socially responsible. I’d love to do something like sustainability consulting, helping entities transition towards more sustainable practices in a way that makes sense for their business. But, I’m young and I’m still learning, so I want to put myself in a position where I could do anything that I’m interested in.

Do you have any podcast recommendations?
I listen to The Daily everyday. A new one that I just found that I love is called Nice White Parents. It’s about the history and evolution of a public school in brooklyn over time and it looks at the role of wealthy white parents in shaping the school.

Is there anything you’d like to highlight about your experiences?
One thing about Sciences-Po is that they train you really well in terms of giving presentations. In every single class we gave a presentation and now I can make slides like that and I don’t need to make speaking notes. Also in terms of being able to think critically about what we read. Too often, there’s a tendency to take what’s given to you as the word of God, or at least that’s what I’ve experienced in the states. At Sciences-Po, they consider sources as a learning tool and not gospel. And also that it's really important to have dinners with friends. I think that’s another crucial thing-being able to come together around good food.