Climate Pathfinder: A Journey to Sustainable Athletics Leadership

When senior Sydney Tomlak first walked into a meeting of the Duke Sustainable Athletics Group (DSAG) as a first-year student, she wasn’t entirely sure what she was signing up for. She had just taken “Climate Change for Future Leaders,” a class that would change the trajectory of her Duke career, and she was curious.

The course connected Earth and ocean systems to human behavior and tangible solutions. “I think I want to major in this,” she remembers thinking about the course. “I really enjoyed seeing how the science behind how the world works can translate into tangible, positive social impact.”

“I played (volleyball) here for four years. But I also fell in love with the commitment to making an impact that you can see in people here.”
Sydney Tomlak, Senior

A pivotal moment in the course came when the professor, Alexander Glass, explained the interaction between the carbon cycle and the oceans. He described how the oceans, one of the most important components of the carbon cycle, absorb increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. But this process leads to ocean acidification and can actually weaken the oceans’ ability to store carbon, creating a loop that can accelerate global warming. “Learning about the complexity of these systems was totally eye-opening, even life-changing,” Tomlak says.

Vice President and King-Compton Families Athletic Director Nina King and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability Toddi Steelman, shown in front, are joined by student-athletes.

At the time, DSAG was getting off the ground, launched by student-athletes Brandon Hersh and Alayna Burns. Tomlak quickly found mentors in both.

“They’re both super driven and really passionate about sustainability,” she says, “and they were also succeeding in sports, school and the other things that they did at Duke.”

That combination of ambition in athletics and academics, with a view on improving sustainability on campus, resonated with Tomlak. An indoor volleyball player from Rochester, Mich., she came to Duke largely because of the sport.

“I played it here for four years,” she says, “but I also fell in love with the commitment to making an impact that you can see in people here.”

After Hersh and Burns graduated, Tomlak stepped into DSAG leadership, with the goal to build on what her peers had started and create systems that would last.

A prime example is the group’s annual shoe and gear drive. Tomlak worked to cement the project within the Athletics facilities and operation making it sustainable and easier to run long term. Under her leadership, DSAG expanded to include new community partners, including Durham Public Schools and Open Table Ministry.

Sydney Tomlak at the Durham Community Food Pantry as part of Athletics Week of Service in April.

DSAG also hosted Earth Day cleanups, organized a green volleyball game, and supported a green women’s basketball game. At one event, volunteers invited fans to sign a carbon pledge board, committing to reduce their footprint over the year. Sustainability became visible and participatory, and it began to be integrated into the sports and activities surrounding athletics.

Tomlak reflects, “I think athletics has a big connection to climate and sustainability because it takes a lot of energy and water to maintain athletic facilities, to hold practices and competitions, and to support hundreds of student-athletes. Think of the water it takes to water our fields, the amount of fuel used to transport student-athletes, and the amount of energy it takes to keep stadium lights on. I think there is a great opportunity for Duke Athletics to support Duke's Climate Commitment and lower our footprint on the planet.”

Today, as a senior majoring in environmental sciences and policy, with a minor in biology and a certificate in markets and management, Tomlak continues to work at the intersection of athletics and climate. She serves as a Green Devil intern focused on climate and sustainability within Duke Athletics. One deliverable she created: a “green game playbook” to guide future teams in running sustainable athletic events.

Outside athletics, Tomlak sits on Duke’s Climate Commitment Advisory Council, serving on the Operations Subcommittee. There, she works with students, faculty and staff to help shape the university’s next operational goals.

“We’re working on visioning for 2026 and beyond,” she explains. A key priority is renovating and repurposing existing buildings. “We’re pushing to repurpose as many buildings as we can, which inherently saves a lot of carbon.”

Tomlak volunteering at the Duke Campus Farm

After graduation, she is weighing paths in clean energy, water access, or possibly a pre-health track in pediatrics. When asked about her “one crazy ambition” for her career working for climate improvement, she says confidently, “My goal is to help the world transition to clean energy.”

Meanwhile, she’s fostering the next generation of DSAG. The current president, junior Sean Morello of the track and field team, leads a core group of committed athletes, with younger students already showing interest.

“I definitely think it’s inspiring to see what we’ve built and how it is continuing. Sustainability is really sustainable here!” Tomlak said.