Davidson Grad Invests in Community as Environmental Activist, Media Specialist

Davidson College Posse alumna Sacha Franks recently completed a Master of Professional Science degree in environment, culture, and media at the University of Miami. She graduated from Davidson in 2020 with a major in environmental humanities and a minor in gender and sexuality studies.

During her undergraduate years, Sacha was involved with student organizations You are Not a Stranger Here (YANASH) and Eating House, where she served on the executive board as recruitment chair.

“Posses on campus were a huge support.”

“It fostered a really good environment,” Sacha says, noting that the organizations opened her up to work with professors and activists, now a theme throughout her studies.

Sacha studied abroad her junior year with financial support from Posse, traveling to San Francisco, Vietnam, Morocco, and Bolivia while taking classes with professors from each region. She was inspired by key figures, including Bolivian activist Oscar Olivera, who became her collaborator on a Spanish and English magazine and on art with themes relating to environmental justice.

When thinking back on her trajectory, Sacha notes that Posse has been there for her in many ways over the years.

“Posses on campus were a huge support,” Sacha recalls of her time at Davidson. “I was extra grateful for my Posse mentor on campus, Dr. Durwin Striplin, because he had so much love for all of us.”

Sacha’s recent work has included an internship at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and a collaborative film project in the Everglades focusing on the Miccosukee Tribe. She is also producing a podcast that covers sustainability issues, fast fashion, and food insecurity.

Sacha’s long-term goal is to become a leader in the environmental field, contributing critical research on climate change solutions.