Mia Farmer ’23, Environmental Studies and International Affairs

Growing up around DC, Mia’s exposure to the environment and love of plants was found in small gardens, overgrown bike paths, and trees planted on sidewalks. She was interested in international politics in high school, but didn’t consider her love for the environment as a career path. In high school, she decided to work on an organic farm, and “wwoofed” in eastern Pennsylvania where she was introduced to concepts like permaculture and food forests. She got to participate in sustainable methods of land management, and witnessed lifestyles that aligned with environmental ethics. This sparked an interest in local and sustainable food systems, which she pursued working here at LaFarm, as an EcoRep, at the Public Market’s Farmstand, for the campus Compost program, more “wwoofing”, and as a summer intern with the Easton Community Gardens. 

This past summer, she had the opportunity to work as a botany intern for the Bureau of Land Management in Lander, Wyoming. This experience exposed her to an entirely new ecosystem and a whole world of public lands management. She conducted surveys for rare and invasive plant species, participated in restoration projects such as seed collection and beaver dam analogs, and learned about rangeland health management and the interdepartmental efforts it takes to manage public lands while respecting a wide variety of interests. 

Within environmental studies, her interests lie in environmental justice and restoration in urban areas. She is passionate about ecological landscaping, composting, and urban sustainability. Gardening is her favorite pastime, and on an ideal day would be found in her garden with her dogs on a sunny day listening to Fiona Apple. On campus, she lives in the Dog House, where puppies are trained to become service dogs in partnership with Canine Partners for Life. In her spare time, she loves crocheting, painting, crafting of all kinds, hiking, foraging, yoga, and walking on the arts trail. She would be more than happy to speak to anyone about Lafayette’s environmental programs or any of the things mentioned above. Feel free to reach out at farmerm@lafayette.edu