Composting inspires MPA student
After a summer state government internship and a waste audit, Brianna Beadle is back to studying public administration.
For Brianna Beadle, public service has long been part of her identity.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University, Beadle took time off to work in the Florida Student Power Network, where she serves as part of their advisory board. She is now in Chapel Hill pursuing a dual master’s degree in public administration with the UNC School of Government and the city and regional planning department in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Despite the intense workload a dual master’s degree entails, Beadle was not interested in having a quiet summer. Instead, she spent most of her time interning with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
“It was my job to research composting across the state and find how recycling can feed into our economy,” Beadle said. “I would talk to individuals at composting recycling facilities and ask how they believed they were affecting their community.”
Beadle says it was eye-opening to see how political machinations and cynicism among state residents influenced either a negative or indifferent response to composting in many communities. Certain projects, however, reminded her of the positive impact composting can have.
“I worked on a waste audit at the department’s building where we implemented a composting bin and then analyzed a day’s worth of trash,” Beadle explained. “We found out that after implementing the bin, we had reduced waste in the building over the summer.”
Beadle was also inspired by the hard work of the department’s team. When she wasn’t gathering statistics or doing field site visits to different North Carolina counties, she sat in on meetings listening to individuals talk about making a difference.
Brianna Beadle (center) participated in many field sites to gather information on composting’s effects across North Carolina. (Submitted photo)
“One of the most impactful things was when I got to do a Q&A with the DEQ secretary Elizabeth Biser,” Beadle said. “Just having someone at her level say, ‘Hey, there’s a future for you on this career path’ was really important.”
Biser and others have provided inspiration for what Beadle can do after her time at Carolina. She has developed a passion for state government and believes this summer’s experience with the DEQ gave her an understanding of how environmentalism is feasible in our economy.
“I learned so much about how our climate and economy are intertwined,” Beadle said. “I’d love to have a role in telling people how renewable energy is feasible and how to embrace composting. I want to let people know there’s a way to slowly transition to better resources for our environment.”
This year at Carolina, Beadle is looking forward to expanding her knowledge in housing and community development. She will also serve as president of the MPA’s Diversity Committee, in which she hopes to showcase different career opportunities in public administration that celebrate diversity.
No matter what Beadle accomplishes during her time here at Carolina or in the years that follow, there can be no doubt that her work will be for the betterment of the community.
