For Alexandra, learning is not just a personal tool—it is a pathway to systemic change. 

Alexandra Maxwell is pursuing a dual degree with the Erb Institute at UM-Ann Arbor, earning both an MBA at the Ross School of Business and an MS in Sustainability at the School for Environment and Sustainability. As a Tauber Institute for Global Operations Fellow and former President of the Student Advisory Board, she is building the skills to create more equitable and resilient agricultural systems, with a particular focus on supporting small-scale and underrepresented farmers.

One of the accomplishments Alexandra is most proud of is her commitment to learning—even when life pulled her in other directions. After graduating from Wellesley College, Alexandra supported her family through the financial hardships of the 2008 crisis and later rebuilt her career following a layoff. That path led her to a goat dairy processing company, where she not only learned accounting but also discovered her passion for sustainable agriculture. Working alongside farmers revealed both the economic fragility and the untapped potential of small-scale goat farming, shaping her vision of building a system where farmers don’t just survive but thrive.

Alexandra’s learning journey is now continuing at U-M where she is deepening her expertise in operations, environmental justice, and impact investing. Through U-M internships, Alexandra has worked at Nestlé Purina and at a Detroit Venture Capital Firm that invests in BIPOC founders, aligning capital with equity-driven impact.

Alexandra was also recently named a full-scholarship recipient in Cohort 20 of VC University–a meaningful step toward her vision of the future. Her long-term goal is to establish a goat milk education center in Michigan that provides training, resources, and investment to small-scale farmers. For her, learning is not just a personal tool—it is a pathway to systemic change.

CEW+ recognizes Alexandra’s unwavering commitment to learning and names her a Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar.