Net Impact inspires its student members and surrounding campus community to be sustainably minded professionals. (Graphic courtesy of Net Impact)
As a high schooler in Chester County, PA, Laiba Baig wanted her higher education pursuits to involve two things: business and sustainability.
At Temple University’s Fox School of Business, she found an academic journey featuring both.
It just so happens that she’s now leading the school’s student charge in its sustainability efforts.
Baig, class of 2028, is the president of the Fox School’s Net Impact, a student professional organization (SPO) that raises awareness of sustainable practices in today’s business world.
Driven to inspire its student members and surrounding campus community to be sustainably minded professionals, the SPO strives to encourage individuals who will utilize business power in their futures to make positive social, environmental and economic impacts.
Baig, an accounting and international business double-major, has led the group as president since her sophomore year. Her passion for sustainability extends throughout the entire membership base and began long before she arrived at Temple.
“It’s incredible to see the passion that the Net Impact organization has for using business as a vessel for creating positive, sustainable change,” says Bryce Forys, Temple University’s sustainability coordinator.
“In high school I worked at a retail job that allowed me to see the necessary action for sustainable efforts by us as a society,” Baig says.
“Ever since that experience I’ve been motivated to not only raise awareness of sustainable efforts but find a college experience that would allow me to tie it to my higher educational pursuits of studying to become a business professional.
“I am very grateful to have found that here at Fox and through the work we do as a chapter.”
Open to majors of any kind, Baig and her fellow group leadership believe their mission to “empower businesspeople to create a just and sustainable world” begins with their student membership base and activity as a chapter.
In addition to regularly hosting professionals from the sustainability industry for speaking engagements and on-campus sustainability activations, the group held the chapter’s inaugural sustainability symposium and career/networking expo, “Impact in Action,” last April. Fall 2024, the group also held a collaborative “block cleanup” outing with Fox’s Women in Business SPO.
Net Impact president Laiba Baig (center), class of 2028, with e-board members Lily Caravela (second from left), class of 2027, and Gabby Sterling (first from right), class of 2026, and participating students during their Nov. 7 “Philly Thrift Crawl” event.
Photo courtesy of Net Impact
In fall 2025, the group continued its event efforts through hosting its first ever “Philly Thrift Crawl” on Nov. 7. Designed to connect students who share an interest in sustainable practices and making a positive impact, the chapter visited popular thrift stores throughout Philadelphia for a day of “fashion and supporting local sustainable businesses.”
The group’s impactful work doesn’t go unnoticed by the Temple community.
“It’s incredible to see the passion that the Net Impact organization has for using business as a vessel for creating positive, sustainable change,” says Bryce Forys, Temple University’s sustainability coordinator.
“Through their engagements and on campus activities, they’ve made it evident that they are ambitious in engaging Temple students and the wider campus community on the intersection of sustainability, social impact and business.”