Camden Voelsing reached his senior year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after pivoting from aerospace engineering to climate system science and engineering, news.mit.edu reported.
That academic path required overcoming early academic struggles. After arriving on campus, Voelsing failed midterms and felt out of place among peers who seemed to grasp material faster, according to news.mit.edu.
I thought I was smart in high school,
Voelsing told news.mit.edu. I thought I was at the top of my class, and then I got here and I was failing midterms.
A conversation with his father during winter break of his first year redirected his studies. His father urged him to find an intersection between personal strengths, fulfillment, and what the world needed, news.mit.edu reported.
That discussion prompted Voelsing to switch his major to climate system science and engineering, a joint offering from the departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, according to news.mit.edu.
The new curriculum connected his ROTC training with technical knowledge about the environment, helping him see how his education could serve a real-world purpose, news.mit.edu reported. An environmental history course taught by atmospheric chemist Susan Solomon further shaped his academic focus toward global agricultural and food systems.
Outside the classroom, Voelsing spent time with Camp Kesem, a student-run nonprofit providing free summer camps for children with parents affected by cancer, news.mit.edu reported.
He joined the MIT chapter as a first-year student, eventually serving as a counselor, operations coordinator, and alumni relations lead for the organization, which serves more than 200 campers, according to news.mit.edu.
The thing I enjoy most isn’t all the planning; it’s not all the coordinating,
Voelsing told news.mit.edu. The thing I enjoy most is just spending time with kids.
- Former Major: Aerospace engineering before switching to Course 1-12 (climate system science and engineering).
- Research Focus: Agroforestry projects in Uganda, which inspired a deeper interest in global food systems.
- Campus Involvement: MIT ROTC training and Camp Kesem leadership roles.
After struggling with failing grades during his first year, Voelsing discussed his academic frustrations with his father over winter break. His father encouraged him to pursue a path combining personal strengths, fulfillment, and global needs, prompting him to move from aerospace engineering to climate system science and engineering.
Camp Kesem is a student-run nonprofit organization providing free summer camps for children ages 5 to 18 whose parents have been affected by cancer. Voelsing joined MIT’s chapter as a first-year student, working variously as a camp counselor, operations coordinator, and alumni relations lead.
Professor Susan Solomon, an atmospheric chemist recognized for helping discover the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole, taught an environmental history course that helped shape Voelsing’s research interests.
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