Aruzhan Sakhariyanova ’26 blends green practices with her Furman purple

Aruzhan Sakhariyanova ’26 grew up immersed in sustainability topics.

In her hometown of Astana, Kazakhstan, Sakhariyanova volunteered to clean up parks as a teen and started making videos and blog posts about conserving the natural beauty of her homeland. Even before becoming a Paladin, that work landed her a role as an environmental advocate with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

After finishing high school in Japan, Sakhariyanova started looking at universities in the United States.

“Furman was the only school that had this niche program combining the humanitarian side of sustainability sciences with the theoretical, in the sustainability science major,” she said. Sakhariyanova is a sustainability science and communication studies double major. “In my acceptance letter I got a p.s. from someone in admissions, saying they hoped I’d get involved with the Shi Institute.”

Aru Sakhariyanova ’26. Photo by Owen Withycombe, Furman University.

She connected with the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities early and became an Eco Rep promoting sustainable living on campus. “It’s the small community aspect which I love, where people can find you when they know you’re passionate about something,” Sakhariyanova said.

Getting to continue her advocacy as an Eco Rep was a foundational experience at Furman, and connected Sakhariyanova with leaders from the Greenville chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), a nonpartisan, grassroots organization promoting clean energy and environmental conservation policies. As the Eco Rep Fellow with the Shi Institute, Sakhariyanova worked with CCL to run letter-writing workshops and build bridges that turned students’ intentions into actions.

This semester, Sakhariyanova has worked as a communications intern for CCL, planning workshops and contributing to outreach efforts. Her work has put her communications studies into practice, making use of the videography, writing and photography talents she’s honed with help from instructors like instructor Mary Sturgill.

“The communication studies department has provided some of the most technical, useful skills I’ve gotten in my Furman career, between public speaking, presenting and providing information in a concise way,” Sakhariyanova said.

And when she faced doubts or felt uncertain about her future, Sakhariyanova found her sense of Paladin pride by connecting with her fellow students.

“It’s important to find your community, and for me it was the international student body,” she said. The diverse group found common ground through shared experiences of studying and living at Furman. Older students coached her through challenging moments, and now she’s proud to offer her own perspective and guidance to first-year students.

And Sakhariyanova has had her hard work recognized. She received the Leverette Sustainability Award from the Shucker Center for Leadership Development and the Division of Student Life, recognizing her commitment to promoting sustainable practices in the classroom and beyond. Her communications work also garnered acclaim, winning a student production award from the Southeast chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for a Furman University News Channel report.

After graduation, Sakhariyanova will be keeping her talents in the region, working with the City of Greenville through a Shi Institute internship to audit public sector sustainability efforts. She’s excited to get experience working with municipal governments and helping shape policy and practices that can affect peoples’ lived environments.

“Furman and the Shi Institute have given me so many real-life engagement opportunities,” she said.