Florence Van Dyke is studying a Master of Laws at the University of California Berkely, she has passed the Fall Semester with Honors but for her, the experiences and connections are what have been life-changing. Florence has a keen passion for leading a Zero-Carbon change globally which is her main focus once she completes her Masters. Below we share an excerpt from her progress report to date:

“He Tangata, he tangata, he tangata. As with all of life’s experiences, it is the people that are shaping my time at Berkeley the most. The Professors are leading scholars. Almost all have real-life experiences and are closely connected to the community. This adds depth to lectures and workshops. Leaders from across California are often invited to speak in classes. I am learning equally from my fellow students who represent over forty countries. I am grateful to be building friendships with bright and diverse minds from across the globe and learning from them both in and outside the classroom.”

“In December I spoke at the Global Women SF Launch Event 2021 alongside female leaders in California, including the State Treasurer, Fiona Ma. The event, which focused on values-led women entrepreneurs, was hugely inspiring. I left feeling connected to the other attendees in the Bay Area which I now call home. I have support and comradeship from this community. Several of my Berkeley classmates attended and made connections through speakers and attendees. I have connected Global Women SF with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and a values-aligned group in New Zealand that I sit on the Steering Committee for: Future Food Aotearoa. We are planning to hold an online event this quarter, hosted by Future Food Aotearoa, Berkeley Centre for Responsible Business and Global Women SF for export-focused entrepreneurs in the food and beverage sector.