Alyssa's 340 Blog

  I have always had a connection to animals and ever since I was little I remember crying at the animal shelters commercials on TV so hard that my mom would have to turn it off every time they came on. I think because animals can be very helpless and mistreated by humans, it is our responsibility to take care of them when they need help. I know that there are a million different organizations and worthwhile causes, but I would love to join an organization that helps to rehabilitate or save animals from kill shelters. This would be my first step in making the world a better place. After graduation when I have more time on my hands I really want to start volunteering at an animal shelter helping out cats and dogs. I have already looked into organizations near campus, so over the summer I am going to get started. I think it would be great to give back to the community and help the animals at the same time. When I am much older, having a farm where I could raise chickens and other anim...

 Life Changes                Right now I am thinking about all the changes going on in my life as I am sure many people in this class are. This weekend my parents are moving away from LA and I have been spending time at home packing up my things. Although I didn’t grow up in LA or in that house, it is where we spent our time during the COVID lockdown and where I would come to relax during college. When I was packing I found so many photos that reminded me of the amazing times and memories I have made over the last four years. It is always strange to move because it feels like starting a new chapter, but I am excited to see where the next year takes me.  It feels scary to be entering the adult world, but I think that moving on from undergrad has not completely hit me yet since I am staying to get my Masters. I think one of the things I will miss the most is living with all my best friends and being able to see them whenever I want. L...

  The book I chose was “The Wayfinders” by Wade Davis. I chose this book because over quarantine I became infatuated with the show “Survivor” and when I read the description of the book, I recognized maybe of the locations from various seasons of the show. I was also hoping to get a deeper look into the culture and history of those places that I did not get to see on the show. I was also hoping to read about the author's really amazing journeys around the world and first person experiences with these cultures.  When I started reading the book I was surprised with the science lesson it began with, discussing genetics and the loss of native language. While this was not what I was expecting, it made more sense as I continued to read because it gave context. I also was expecting more first hand experience and stories, but it seemed to be more focused on the history of the places he visited. While I felt like it was boring in some parts, it was also interesting to learn about thi...

  TO: Clark Hansen, CEO, Anima Mundi Development Partners  FROM: Alyssa Custino  DATE: March 4, 2024 SUBJECT: Investment Proposal: Tony's Chocolonely After our last meeting, I have spent time researching companies that are committed to environmentally sustainable, socially responsible, and economically prosperous. The company I am recommending to you is Tony’s Chocolonely, a confectionery company based in the Netherlands that is making strides in the fair trade cocoa market. When looking for a company to pitch, I made sure they aligned with the following standards which I will explain below.  Triple Bottom Line Triple Bottom Line is the idea that businesses should be measuring things like their environmental and social impact while also generating profit. It is important that companies operate with the three P framework of the triple bottom line: People: minimizing negative social impacts from production and a commitment to customers Planet: strategy that insures the...

  The book I am choosing to read is The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World by Wade Davis. I chose this book because when I read the synopsis I was very interested in learning about places around the world. I am also a big fan of Amazing Race and Survivor and I recognized many of the locations from places they have visited in the show. This made me interested in learning more about the culture and philosophy of the locations.  When I read the book, I am hoping to learn about locations I have only seen on TV in a deeper way. I also think it will be interesting to learn about the authors experience traveling the world. Overall, I am excited to read the book and learn more about travel all over the globe. 

Remebering Kaia       Last Tuesday on February 13th, my fifteen year old cat Kaia passed away. I never thought I would be able to have a connection with an animal like I did with her. She had been sick for a while, but I never really believed the day would come when she wouldn’t be in my life. I grew up with her and had gone through many stages of my life with her by my side. While I have been very sad, I have been thinking about some of my favorite memories with her over the years.       I was eight and my family and I were flying back from Disney World and talking about names I wanted for a cat if I got one. I had been obsessing over getting a cat my whole childhood because I always loved animals. When my grandpa picked us up from the airport and brought us home, two little kittens were huddled in the back of a crate waiting for us to arrive. We named them Kaia and Bitty. Kaia because it was the first letter of all the members of my family combi...