Wow. *long sigh* I, a student here at the University of Michigan, sure do wish that there was an opportunity to engage with other students who care about the environment. An event that transcends the borders of student organizations, professional fraternities, NGOs, and university departments, one that allows me to network with peers, build connections with other environmental organizations on campus, and expand upon my knowledge of sustainability.
Does this sound like you? Well, no fear! There is an event that satisfies all those desires and more! The Student Sustainability Leaders Summit is available for all students involved in sustainability to meet new people, learn about interdisciplinary areas of sustainability, and foster relationships with other corners of the university.
The event will be held at the Michigan League from 12 P.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturday, March 19th. It will be run by the Student Sustainability Coalition. With the summit, they hope to create a strengthened sustainability network on campus, as well as support an environment for thoughtful discussion and engagement with sustainability topics for students. Finally, there will be snacks and an opportunity to win sustainability merch!
As far as the structure of the event, there will be an event introduction, followed by one hour breakout sessions, with share-outs and breaks in between, and finally, a conclusion and wrap-up. In these breakout sessions, students will work with different stakeholders of the event, such as the Erb Institute, the Arts Initiative, Ann Arbor city officials and leaders, and U-M carbon neutrality staff.
At this point, you’re probably wondering, How do I sign up? Well, you can click here to fill out an RSVP form! After that, you’re all set to attend the event.
On the off chance you’re thinking “hmm, I don’t think I have much more to learn about sustainability” or “ with my background, I don’t think I could even contribute to an event like this” then you would be sorely mistaken! Your own experiences and opinions are beyond valuable at an event like this. The fields of environment and sustainability heavily rely on the creative, diverse perspectives of students from all sorts of academic disciplines on campus. No matter your academic focus, the Student Sustainability Leaders Summit would be lucky to have you. Sustainability is also far from being limited to just environmental sciences. Attending the summit would also be an amazing opportunity to meet new people and learn about how sustainability plays a role in areas like business, the arts, government, and more.
We also encourage you to spread the word! Let your student organizations, co-workers, classmates, and friends know about this interactive and collaborative event.
If you’re looking for more ways to get involved with sustainability on campus, consider joining the team of hardworking student leaders in the Student Sustainability Coalition (SSC)! In addition to planning events like this summit, SSC works on cross-campus partnerships, educational outreach, and other efforts to help unify sustainability on campus. Applications are due on March 21st and you can find more detail about this position here.
Bringing together sustainability leaders in fields like business, government, the arts, STEM, and environment has become more important than ever. We all have a unique role and perspective in incorporating sustainable behaviors, mindsets, and partnerships within our areas of interest.
Bring some friends and join the conversation of how sustainability can transform different focuses on campus!