Meet Anthony Sabol
Iceland 2024 – TGP Scholarship
University of Central Florida
Political Science
Graduation Year: 2025
“I quickly realized that TGP is a space for all disciplines, and that the program does a great job of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on topics of renewable energy and sustainability”
Anthony’s Program Experience
Initially, I wasn’t sure if TGP was the right fit for me. I had been thinking about traveling to Iceland on my own, but ended up on some study abroad sites- many of which raved about TGP. I had never traveled in a group setting, or even considered studying abroad.
As a political science student, I was hesitant to get involved in something that was seemingly geared more toward engineering and hard science students. I quickly realized that TGP is a space for all disciplines, and that the program does a great job of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on topics of renewable energy and sustainability. I feel that nearly any student or professional interested in sustainability can take something away from this program.
Anthony’s Takeaways
There is so much I have taken from this program, educationally, culturally, and personally. My biggest takeaway was seeing how many great people are fighting the same fight, but on different fronts. Climate change is not an issue that can be tackled by one field alone. It takes engineers, scientists, policymakers, businesses, educators, and everyone in between to come up with cohesive solutions to our sustainability issues.
Collaboration will be important every step of the way, as is understanding differing needs and priorities. TGP has taught me that there is immense value in this effort. Through the capstone project alone, I learned that those in our group, despite being from different fields, can work together with the common goal of creating a more sustainable future.
I also learned so much about how Iceland is a leading country in sustainability and renewable energy efforts. It was amazing to see what the country is doing, how it is doing it, and what it took to get here. I have intentions of getting into environmental policy- and learning about the ways in which Iceland has innovated and succeeded reminds me that change is feasible.
I also realized why Icelanders are working so hard to protect what they have. Iceland is an amazingly gorgeous country. It is equally as vulnerable, mainly when it comes to warming temperatures and the resulting glacial melt. Our glacier hike on Sólheimajökull reminded me of why we are trying to become more sustainable in the first place. Iceland’s landscapes, wildlife, and culture (and those of other countries around the world) are at risk due to climate change. It is up to our generation foster a sustainable future.
Importance of Global Experiences
I think that underrepresented students can bring unique perspectives to any global experience such as TGP. Various perspectives are especially important when we are tackling global issues such as climate change. If you aren’t part of an underrepresented group, issues impacting such groups may not be as visible to you. Communicating with these students is in itself is education- as you are learning about their own motives and priorities.
For the students themselves, it is beneficial to be in spaces that may be new to you, or in places that you have not experienced before. It opens your eyes to what is possible in the world, even if things may be different at home. Iceland is notoriously pro LGBTQ- which cannot be said about many states in the U.S. This reminds underrepresented students that change is possible, and that there are places around the globe who will proudly represent them.