Khadija Tarver is making an interdisciplinary impact – on the soccer field, on the environment and through improved global commerce in nations like Guatemala.

Tarver, a 20-year-old junior majoring in environmental studies in the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, is now in her third year playing center back for the Penn Women’s Soccer Club.

She’s played soccer in her hometown of Everett, Wash., since age 6 and says Penn Women’s Soccer is different than any team she’s played on before, a common sentiment among the other players as well.

“We are largely independent, and our captains essentially run the team. From planning our trip to nationals to arranging practices, the team is run by us for us,” Tarver says. “The best part about being a soccer player here is that we get to play the sport we love so dearly but still prioritize our school work.”

Her biggest kick came earlier this year when Tarver was able to play soccer with her host family and a group of local children in San Juan, Guatemala.

Through Penn’s International Internship Program, she spent 10 weeks during the summer in San Juan as a sustainability consultant. Tarver worked for Ati’t Ala’, a non-governmental organization based in the Lake Atitlan region of Western Guatemala, supporting its sustainable organic produce project. 

Twice a week, she coordinated the delivery of the organization’s organic produce to local towns. She also expanded its marketing strategies and initiated a new ordering system for its products. But her work did much more than simply help out the NGO and the people of Guatemala. Tarver, herself, benefitted from this international internship.

“My favorite parts were watching the World Cup, seeing the Mayan ruins and the fact that very few people in this area spoke English so my Spanish was really able to improve,” Tarver says.

She adds that the best things about being a student at Penn are the opportunities, the professors and the seemingly endless resources.

“No matter what field you’re interested in, if you put in a little work you can find others that really want to support what you’re passionate about,” Tarver says. “As students, we often don’t take advantage of the vast knowledge our professors carry regarding more than just their subject areas.”

She adds that Penn’s no-loan program solidified her decision to attend college nearly 2,800 miles away from home. Even when compared to her local state university, Penn, she says, was an affordable choice.

“With no financial barriers to consider,” she says, “Penn was the best option.”

As a student, Tarver is focusing on sustainability and management but also Hispanic studies and religious studies. She plans to become more involved in environmental risk management, a Wharton concentration, and is applying to sub-matriculate into the master’s of environmental studies program, which would allow her to graduate with both an undergraduate and a graduate degree.