Katherine Coreas’ path to graduate school was not always clearly marked.
“My path to graduate school is unpaved,” Coreas said. “My family came from El Salvador during a time when few opportunities to pursue higher education existed. Paving my own path, I became the first in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree, and now the first to graduate with a master’s degree.”
After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Geosciences, with experience in data analysis, conservation, and geology, she knew she wanted to expand her horizons through graduate school. She soon unlocked that opportunity when she was accepted into Rice as a graduate student.
As an environmental analysis student under Rice University’s Natural Sciences Professional Science Master’s Program, Coreas came to Rice to contribute to efficient, impactful and meaningful sustainable solutions. But her journey also carried a deeper significance: She is the first person in her family to graduate from a higher education institution. Despite the challenges of navigating college without the foundational educational or career insights from her family, Coreas insisted on realizing her educational ambitions.
Rice’s environmental analysis program is designed to prepare students to address environmental challenges faced by industrial and governmental organizations. The interdisciplinary degree combines coursework in areas such as environmental science, earth science, statistics, chemistry, ecology, engineering, economics, computer science and sociology, while also incorporating management, policy, ethics and professional development.
For Coreas, that structure offered both academic depth and practical preparation.
“At Rice, I wanted to immerse myself in sustainability knowledge and professional experience,” Coreas said.
She began by joining the Graduate Student Association Sustainability Committee, where she found an early opportunity to connect her interests in sustainability and service. As part of the committee, Coreas led an initiative to upcycle used clothing by hosting an event that invited students to craft pet toys from it. Later, when GSA Sustainability tabled at the 2025 Earth Month Kickoff Festival, she guided students in crafting toys and emphasized the importance of repurposing materials. The finished dog and cat toys were eventually donated to the Houston SPCA shelter.
The experience reflected the kind of applied, community-minded sustainability work Coreas hoped to pursue.
That goal continued to take shape through the Professional Science Master’s program’s emphasis on networking and professional development. Coreas secured her first internship at Houston Methodist’s Office of Sustainability, where she gained exposure to emissions reduction, sustainable medical and food supply procurement, and outreach initiatives.
“With the help of my Professional Science Master’s networking and professional development prowess, I eventually obtained my first internship at Houston Methodist,” Coreas said. “The internship immersed me in the fascinating world of health care sustainability.”
At her second internship with Harris County’s Office of Sustainability, she applied her expertise to a county-wide scale. Coreas was involved in the initial implementation phase of Harris County’s Climate Justice Plan, helping to administer programs, communicate with Harris County officials and represent Harris County in public outreach and community events. She also engaged in the office’s Climate Action Plan and Solar for All initiatives.
“I was honored to be involved in the county’s first Climate Justice Plan phase and to be included in their first Climate Justice Plan report,” Coreas said.
The environmental analysis program’s focus areas — environmental sustainability, management and policy, and quantitative decision-making — helped Coreas connect classroom learning with the professional settings where environmental decisions are made. The program’s combination of technical training, policy awareness and management preparation aligned with her goal of pursuing sustainable solutions that are both practical and meaningful.
But Coreas said her graduate experience was shaped by more than academics and internships. At Rice, she also found community through Rice Zouk, a Brazilian partner dance organization where she served as president.
“During my time at Rice, I found that success relies on building a community and finding passions beyond academic and professional endeavors,” Coreas said. “My role as president of Rice Zouk brought me incredible personal fulfillment and wisdom that I will carry into every aspect of my life.”
Through Rice Zouk, Coreas performed choreographies and helped teach the dance to fellow Rice students in weekly on-campus classes. She also built connections across the graduate student community and strengthened her leadership and interpersonal skills, which she sees as essential to her future work.