Alumnus Profile: Nick Kime

Growing up near Saint Louis, Missouri, Nick Kime (CC '22) had plenty of exposure to nature – kayaking, canoeing, and even being part of a group of kids who picked up trash along the Mississippi River. This early appreciation for nature and commitment to environmental stewardship translated into Nick’s interest in the sustainable development program at Columbia. 

At Columbia, Nick recounts being impressed by the interdisciplinary nature of the sustainable development program and discovering a love of history – especially regarding environmental issues. This interdisciplinary lens proved invaluable, allowing Nick to explore the complex intersections between policy, politics, and environmental issues. His thesis, supervised by ECJaC’s Jackie Klopp, examined the history of farm subsidies in the United States, highlighting the paradoxical ways well-intentioned government programs can have unintended consequences for the environment and marginalized communities.

Beyond the classroom, Nick was actively involved in student organizations that addressed campus environmental and social justice concerns. As a member of the Vegan Society and Design for America, he worked on projects that aimed to reduce the carbon footprint of Columbia's dining services and support community-based food security initiatives, work that was especially critical due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns. 

As an undergraduate, Nick also worked with Professor Klopp regarding campus transport electrification. When I asked Nick about his experiences navigating the Columbia bureaucracy, he laughed and said he found navigating university structures to be “a microcosm of politics and how to get things done, which is really just beneficial for if you're working in the environmental space, or just in the space of kind of effectuating change.” As part of this work, Nick met with the MTA about electric grid capacity and bus depots, which are typically located in low-income communities of color and produce significant pollution. 

After graduating, Nick's passion for consumer protection and environmental issues led him to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal agency created after the 2008 financial crisis tasked with safeguarding the rights of American consumers. As a rotational fellow, Nick had the opportunity to delve into the complex intersections between financial regulations and environmental justice. For example, through the CFPB’s oversight of financial institutions, Nick has tried to address the impact that credit (and lending) has had on systemic inequalities. “Credit has a huge impact on generational wealth and quality of life and access to basic needs and is shrouded in racism,” Nick explained. 

Nick's experience at the CFPB has reinforced his belief in the power of government institutions to drive positive change. While the agency faces ongoing political challenges, Nick remains committed to using the law to protect consumers and address systemic inequities.

As Nick looks to the future, he plans to attend law school, where he hopes to continue his work at the intersection of environmental advocacy and consumer protection. His time at Columbia and the CFPB has instilled in him a deep appreciation for the power of interdisciplinary thinking and the importance of leveraging diverse tools and strategies to tackle the pressing environmental challenges of our time.

When I asked Nick for his advice to students looking to get involved in the fight against climate change, he stressed the importance of finding what you are most interested in since you can help things most efficiently if you are passionate about what you’re doing. “Use Columbia as a little petri dish,” he told me. “There is a lot happening on campus, as you know, and across Columbia's campuses, so take the initiative and try to get something done around campus.”