Cassandra Erickson '25

Cassandra Erickson '25
Major: Environmental Science
Involvements: Housing Office, Summer Opportunities for Advanced Research
Awards: Program Scholars

From the moment Cassandra Erickson arrived at Loyola Marymount University from Cincinnati, Ohio, she knew California would be the right state to focus on environmental science. While her major helped shape her academic foundation, her time working in Student Housing defined so much of her college experience.

“I was initially a front office assistant there and I started back in my sophomore year,” she recalls. “I've grown a lot throughout that position. I really enjoyed working there.” Erickson worked her way up to student manager, taking on a pivotal role in mentoring peers, improving office systems, and assisting the professional staff in reimagining what the student housing experience should look like. 

Outside of the office, Erickson is heavily involved in the environmental science department. A tradition that she enjoyed the most was their annual luncheon with all the environmental science majors from every year level. With her other classmates, they were able to work on dune restoration in Santa Monica, Califiornia. Her legacy will live on in with the next group of students ready to take over this ongoing project. “We were fortifying change,” she said. “We were looking at how much the dunes are growing and changing over time.”
 
Her experience at LMU has connected deeply with the Live a Life of Purpose student EXP pillar. “I think it's important to live a life of purpose, and that's something that I've considered when choosing my major. I enjoy science, but the part of environmental science that I like is it is so applicable to the world, especially the world right now.”

As she looks to the future, Erickson is ready to bring her compassion, curiosity, and leadership into the field. She hopes to begin a career in conservation or restoration work, grounded in the hands-on experience she gained at LMU.

Final message to LMU: “Do what makes you happy. I think that enjoying your time here in college is important.”