Me the Ability to Dream Again Starbucks
"It's given me the power to dream again"
Claire Ostermeier is the kind of person who isn't agape to burglarize through the trash bin just to rescue a plastic loving cup that could have been recycled.
When she wants to go a loving cup of coffee, the Starbucks partner (employee) makes it a point to bring her reusable ceramic tumbler, decorated with colorful siren scales. "Every single solar day, that is one thing that I tin do to preclude one more thing going into our waste stream," she said.
At home, her shelves are filled with books almost sustainability and green living. A modest white and green compost bin is tucked in a chiffonier under her sink. Her Starbucks Greener Apron programme certificate hangs on her refrigerator.
She dreams of making our planet a meliorate place for future generations past creating healthier cities, making waste product streams easier to apply and improving access to transportation.
Merely at one point in her life, she didn't think dreaming was possible.
Growing up in Northern California, Claire spent much of her time exterior, camping with her dad and going on hiking trips.
"I always loved nature. I loved just getting lost in information technology," she said.
On a recent overcast afternoon wandering through a Seattle park, information technology's evident her passion continues. She seems at home, unfazed by the typical Northwest drizzle. In fact, she finds it peaceful and rejuvenating. She speaks with enthusiasm and confidence nearly her desire to preserve the outdoors for people like her 7-yr-old niece.
"It was something that, as I grew older, seeing the destruction of what'south happening on our planet made me really sad to know that other children of the hereafter may not accept the same opportunities that I did," she said.
Despite her interest and passion, Claire encountered some challenges on her journeying toward finishing her didactics.
"Well-nigh of it was the recession," Claire said. "I was just stuck."
In 2014, Claire was between jobs. While searching for new opportunities, she considered Starbucks. Knowing that she wanted to complete her available's degree, the Starbucks College Achievement Plan piqued her interest. Through the program, eligible partners can earn a bachelor's degree online from Arizona Country Academy—with full tuition coverage.
Did yous know? Partners get eligible for the Starbucks Higher Accomplishment Program after working for Starbucks for at least three months for 20-plus hours a week. More than than 7,100 full and function-time partners from around the U.S. are participating in the program at ASU. After graduation, there'southward no requirement that partners must go on working for Starbucks.
In preparation for her job interview, Claire took a trip to the library to research Starbucks. She devoured "Pour Your Heart Into Information technology," written past Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz.
"If annihilation, that just solidified the fact that I wanted to piece of work for this company considering they care and then much virtually their partners," Claire said.
Claire got the task in October of 2014, working as a barista at a Starbucks store in downtown Seattle. A few months afterwards, she was selected to join the squad at the Starbucks Reserve® Roastery, where she spent nigh two years. She also enrolled in the Starbucks College Achievement Programme in the fall of 2015 and decided to pursue a degree in sustainability studies with a focus on urban dynamics.
"In reading the description almost what the degree was all near, I knew that that was why everything had happened. I was meant to exercise this considering I hope that afterward my time is over on this planet that I have fabricated it better for all the time to come generations," Claire said.
She's already having an impact on electric current generations. While working at the Roastery, Claire helped brainwash partners and customers from around the world well-nigh Seattle's recycling and composting guidelines. She made poster boards explaining how to sort products into the appropriate receptacle and led a sustainability talk with a co-worker for Roastery partners. She also spearheaded an effort to reduce water waste at the Roastery.
When fellow partners started telling her they'd bought a compost bin or came to her with their recycling questions, she realized simply how much of an consequence she could take.
"I was flattered that they thought that I knew everything, because of course, educational activity'south a journey," she said, jokingly acknowledging she doesn't know everything about recycling.
Claire is now in her senior twelvemonth at ASU. She currently works at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle as an Enterprise Help Desk analyst, assisting partners with technology troubleshooting. She's one of three partners involved in a pilot sustainability internship plan through Starbucks and ASU. Her focus? Encouraging more than Starbucks customers to purchase their drinks in a reusable tumbler. And she recently joined the board for the Partners for Sustainability Network , a group dedicated to inspiring and supporting partners to incorporate sustainable practices at work and in their communities.
Balancing a full-fourth dimension task and a total course load doesn't come without its challenges. Asked when she finds fourth dimension to study, she's quick to respond, "All the time." That, she says, means between calls, on breaks, at tiffin and when she gets home from work.
"Information technology'south just literally all day in between things as much as possible because I desire to make Starbucks proud and become all the A'south," she said.
Advice from a beau partner—only sit down and practise information technology—motivates her when her to-do listing seems never-ending. She's determined to give her best at piece of work and school because of Starbucks' willingness to invest in her and her future.
partner and educatee
"When I started working with Starbucks and going dorsum to schoolhouse with ASU, I could see a hereafter over again. I was able to have dreams. They're still kind of foggy but because I think that I have been so scared to think that things could exist greater or exist more. … That'due south what it's been to me. I know that life'south going to be okay."
-Claire Ostermeier
She wants people to know that when they come to Starbucks, they're getting more than just a loving cup of coffee.
"The money that people are spending on our astonishing coffee is going to so much more than someone'south bag. It's paying for farmers to learn more about agronomy … all the manner to back hither in the states knowing that the barista across the counter from you can become a college education and do whatever they want," Claire said.
Claire hopes to graduate by the finish of 2017 or early adjacent year. She's already making plans to fly to Arizona State Academy for the graduation anniversary.
"I have to walk across that stage. … I'm going to exist and so happy. It's going to be life-affirming," Claire said.
Source: https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/its-given-me-the-ability-to-dream-again-starbucks-college-achievement-plan/
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