Kiera Liu

Kiera Liu came to Stockton University with interests in science, the outdoors, fashion, art and advocacy. At first, those interests seemed to point in different directions, but she discovered a common thread: Sustainability.

ASENIOR FROM GALLOWAY, Liu is pursuing a degree in Sustainability with a concentration in Policy and a minor in Business Administration. Her experiences at Stockton helped her explore how environmental protection, creative problem-solving, community engagement and public policy can work together to create meaningful change.

For Liu, sustainability means understanding the systems that shape people's choices, asking better questions and developing solutions that work for communities as well as ecosystems.

Finding the Intersection of Science and Action

She studied Business Administration before switching to Biology, and although she enjoyed exploring different subjects, she still felt something was missing.

Rather than settling on a major, she reached out to professors and department leaders for guidance. Those conversations eventually led her to Professor Patrick Hossay and Stockton's Sustainability program.

“I could see myself here,” she recalled.

The program's combination of science, technology, ethics, economics and policy offered the balance she had been looking for. With a concentration in Policy, Liu could explore environmental challenges while learning how decisions are made and how scientific knowledge can inform practical solutions.

Her coursework has ranged from solar photovoltaics, wind energy and heat pump efficiency to environmental law, common law and policy writing. While developing policy memos and sustainability reports, she learned to consider the broader consequences of environmental decisions.

"One of Hossay's recurring phrases has resonated with me, 'It depends.' I think that's a beautiful way to approach sustainability because it reminds us to look at the bigger picture rather than searching for a scapegoat or a quick fix. Ultimately, sustainability is about understanding the root causes of problems rather than just treating the symptoms," she said.

"For example, encouraging people to use public transportation means little if reliable, accessible transit is not available. Likewise, adding another highway lane might appear to solve congestion but can encourage more driving. Sustainable solutions require understanding why people make certain choices and how infrastructure, economics and public policy influence their options," she explained.

Making Sustainability Tangible

Her interest in environmental engagement is reflected in her work with Stockton's Maple Project, a $1.7 million grant initiative focused on tapping more than 650 red maple trees on campus and producing syrup for the community.

As a student leader and public relations manager, she creates educational content, manages social media campaigns, engages student organizations and helps communicate the project's work to broader audiences. Her experience has shown her how creative communication can make environmental initiatives more accessible and encourage people to participate.

She brings that same resourceful mindset to fashion. Liu's interest in designing clothing began in childhood, when she wrapped toilet paper around her Rapunzel Barbie to create dresses. She eventually began hand-stitching fabric scraps, took sewing lessons and experimented with patterns and designs.

Having a passion for sustainability is important, but you also need to know how to turn that passion into action and relate it to the people who are our representatives."

Her parents surprised her with her grandmother's sewing machine, which was more than 60 years old and still works today.

What began as a creative hobby has become another way for Liu to put sustainability into practice. She enjoys thrifting, repurposing fabric and discarded garments, and creating original designs. She also shares content encouraging others to give clothing a second life.

“I want to show people that sustainable fashion can be creative, stylish, and accessible,” she said.

Through Stockton's Girls' Girl Club, which partnered with the Asian Student Association and Philippine-American Student Association for an event called “Unfiltered Beauty,” she connected with Oceane Qian-Feuillat, Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2025. Qian-Feuillat later invited her to participate in the Stitch, Don't Ditch sustainable fashion show in Jersey City.

Her collection brought her interest in design and resource conservation to the runway. Her pieces were made from discarded garments and materials, with an emphasis on versatility and adjustability so they could be worn in different ways or taken apart for recycling.

Kiera Liu and Miss New Jersey Teen USA

Kiera Liu's Sustainable Fashions

Her designs challenge people to reconsider their relationship with the resources they use.

Creating Community Through the Girls' Girl Club

As a Galloway local, she knew the beauty and charm of South Jersey, even when students arriving from elsewhere sometimes saw the area as little more than trees surrounding campus. At the same time, she was following national and global events, including the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

This club isn't about asking people to empathize with us. It is about bringing together women who are already powerful, intelligent, and inspiring—women who have often had to work even harder to get where they are—and making sure we have a community where we can learn, grow and feel comfortable together.”

“I knew I couldn't change national policy by myself, so I started asking myself, what can I do realistically, right here and right now?’” she said.

Part of the inspiration came from closer to home. She credits her mother as one of her earliest examples of what it means to be a “girls' girl," someone who celebrates other women, encourages their ambitions and shows up for the people around her. Wanting to bring that same spirit of encouragement and connection to Stockton, she founded the Girls' Girl Club in Spring 2025.

Her answer was to create a club where women could build friendships, discuss current events, explore their interests and support one another. The organization quickly grew into Stockton's third-largest student organization and received the New Student Organization of the Year award during the 2025–26 Student Involvement Awards.

She remembers being asked by another student whether having a club for women undermined the idea that women are strong. “I don't look for sympathy for being a woman,” she explained.

“This club isn't about asking people to empathize with us. It is about bringing together women who are already powerful, intelligent, and inspiring—women who have often had to work even harder to get where they are—and
making sure we have a community where we can learn, grow and feel comfortable together.”

Through current-events discussions, educational events, fundraising and community service, members have found opportunities to connect with one another and contribute beyond campus.

Among the club's initiatives are efforts to provide menstrual products to shelters, collect coats for community members and support local food-insecurity efforts. Building the organization has also taught her about leadership, communication and collaboration. As the club expands, she and her team have worked to make its activities
more accessible and its operations more sustainable.

She hopes the community they have created will continue long after she graduates.

Bringing Sustainability to Washington, D.C.

Her quest in understanding the decision-making process led her to Washington, D.C. for a semester of her senior year through Stockton's partnership with The Washington Center and the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy.

This year, she joined Advocacy Associates as a political advocacy intern, gaining first-hand experience with the work that connects organizations and their priorities with congressional offices.

Her work has introduced her to the logistics, communication and relationship-building involved in advocacy, including efforts related to public transportation and health policy. She has visited Senate buildings and connected with professionals working in the field.

The experience is helping her understand how public concerns and policy priorities are communicated to elected officials and how effective advocacy requires more than simply caring about an issue.

One of Hossay's recurring phrases has resonated with me, 'It depends.' I think that's a beautiful way to approach sustainability because it reminds us to look at the bigger picture rather than searching for a scapegoat or a quick fix. Ultimately, sustainability is about understanding the root causes of problems rather than just treating the symptoms."

“Having a passion for sustainability is important, but you also need to know how to turn that passion into action and relate it to the people who are our representatives,” Liu said.

She also had the chance to attend D.C. Fashion Week.

A Career Built Around Making Connections

Liu hopes to start her own sustainability consulting firm or work at the federal or international level to influence sustainability policy. She is also interested in helping brands and businesses develop digital strategies that encourage climate action.

Her main goal is to help people understand complex challenges and find practical solutions.

Her experiences at Stockton have shown her that sustainability can take many forms and life doesn't follow a perfectly predictable path.

“I'm beginning to see that first hand through my internship in Washington, D.C. I'm learning that influencing policy and advocating for change is a craft," she said.

Stockton has allowed her to explore a field that connects her interests rather than forcing her to choose just one.

Reported by Susan Allen