A Tar Heel’s Journey: Kyle Daniels and His Passion for Sustainability
Senior Kyle Daniels reflects on his undergraduate journey and commitment to pursuing his passion for sustainability throughout North Carolina.
Growing up enveloped in the Tar Heel spirit, Kyle Daniels, a senior at the University of North Carolina, found his path naturally leading to Carolina. His family’s deep-rooted ties to the university shaped his decision, as he sought to merge tradition with personal ambition in sustainability.
“The presence that the University had was a formative part of my childhood,” Daniels remarked, highlighting the university’s role in his upbringing.
Embarking on his educational journey, Daniels aimed to intertwine family traditions with his passion for renewable energy, believing that the university’s core values aligned with empowering future leaders. “What my family views as special about Carolina is how aligned it is with what the values of a state institution should be — empowering the future leaders of that state and being driven by the needs of the people,” Daniels shared.
As an economics and environmental science major, Daniels is set to graduate, equipped with insights into financial systems and the energy sector. However, his most significant learning came from his role as CEO of The Meantime Coffee Co., an entirely student-run nonprofit coffee shop. Under his leadership, Meantime has expanded beyond its Campus Y origin to a second location on Rosemary Street.
Starting as a first-year operations assistant, Daniels climbed the ranks to become the chief sustainability officer and eventually the CEO, all while honing his barista skills. This hands-on experience has been instrumental, teaching him the nuances of small business operations, from logistics to sustainability initiatives.
“The name Meantime is inspired by the idea that our experiences in college might seem transitory and may act as launching pads for our careers,” said Daniels, emphasizing the lasting impact of their collegiate ventures.
Since its inception in 2016, Meantime has contributed over $250,000 of its earnings to the university and local community. In the last three years alone, $179,000 has supported service-focused student groups, scholarships, and local nonprofits. Each of the 38 student employees participates in a “barista vote,” ensuring the profits align with Meantime’s core values. Additionally, an emergency fund addresses urgent issues like food insecurity.
Daniels’ leadership at Meantime has fortified his skills, which he applies in various capacities across campus. As a teaching assistant in “Statistics for Environmental Scientists,” he aided in ecological research, particularly on turtle hatching. His role as a student research assistant at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health involved collaborating on electric vehicle charging projects with fleet managers across North Carolina.
His summer position as a supply chain sustainability specialist at Hitachi Energy in Raleigh further cemented his career aspirations in this field.
Among his academic pursuits, the course “Fundamentals of the U.S. Electricity System” stood out for its interdisciplinary approach, combining policy, physics, and economics. The class featured guest lectures from industry experts, deepening his understanding of energy grids and markets. Daniels’ final project was a comprehensive 30-page policy proposal for offshore wind projects along North Carolina’s coast.
While Daniels is proud of his achievements, he cherishes the relationships built during his time at Carolina. He advocates for students to cultivate strong connections with professors and mentors, believing these relationships are pivotal.
“Getting a chance to hear from the perspective of my professors and reflect on course content was probably the best way that I could bridge connections between my two degrees,” he noted, acknowledging the profound impact these interactions have had on his development.
By Sophia Melin ’27, College of Arts and Sciences
This story was originally published in Carolina Arts & Sciences magazine.
Original Story at college.unc.edu