Honours Bachelor of Arts Environmental Studies • Wilfrid Laurier University
Bio
Defne Ustay holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies with a minor in Communication Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University. In her final year, she completed a capstone course in collaboration with the City of Cambridge on their 15-Minute Neighbourhood initiative. Her team developed a sustainable urban planning solution, earning third place out of six groups.
Following this experience, Defne developed a strong interest in urban planning, environmental consulting, and the analysis of Request for Proposals (RFPs), the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and Environmental Risk Assessment. She aspires to build a career in environmental consultancy.
After graduating, Defne joined PartsNet, an appliance supplier, as an Operations Associate. In this role, she coordinated inventory shipments, resolved order discrepancies, liaised between customers and internal departments, and maintained accurate customer records.
Throughout her undergraduate studies, Defne actively engaged in extracurricular activities. She was the president of the Communications Student Association and a Laurier Ambassador, where she trained new hires, represented her program at open houses, and led campus tours for prospective students.
In her spare time, Defne enjoys drawing and experimenting with various art mediums. She is also passionate about photography, particularly capturing natural landscapes and regularly participates in arts and crafts workshops, including pottery.