Durham College (DC) Business Marketing student Adriana Reyes will be taking a major step towards learning and demonstrating sustainability leadership this month at the 2014 IMPACT! The Co-operators Youth Program for Sustainability Leadership Conference. Selected from more than 730 candidates to attend the all-expenses-paid conference, Reyes will work alongside 175 other students and industry experts to develop future sustainability solutions.

“Being the only Durham College student who is attending the conference I will be helping to bring positive change and help develop real sustainability solutions,” said Reyes.

The conference, held at the University of Guelph from May 23 to May 26, will bring together students from 68 Canadian colleges and universities to spark creativity through advanced online courses, workshops, student projects and mentoring. Canadian astronaut and keynote speaker Chris Hadfield will highlight this year’s conference and share his unique perspective on the planet and the role Canada’s youth will have in its future.

“I am excited to listen to all the amazing speakers who will share their wealth of knowledge with young university and college students from different programs and careers,” said Reyes. “We all have a common passion called sustainability.”

Participants will bring back the initiatives discussed at the conference to their campuses to help promote sustainability and to bring about a positive change. Following the conference, participants will have the opportunity to spearhead community initiatives with the help of grants from The Co-operators Foundation – IMPACT! Fund.