Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.78
Liaison Amber Saxton
Submission Date Sept. 1, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

George Mason University
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Mary Liang
Sustainability Analyst
Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
44,713

Total number of students enrolled for credit that are served (i.e. directly targeted) by a student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education program (avoid double-counting to the extent feasible):
44,713

Percentage of students served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
100

Name of the student educators program:
Green Patriots program

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
7,154

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:

The Green Patriot program is an environmentally-minded peer-to-peer outreach student group whose mission is to work with the Office of Sustainability to cultivate a culture of sustainability at George Mason University. Green Patriots help increase environmental knowledge and foster positive environmental behavior by providing effective tools and information to their peers.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected:

Students voluntarily attend meetings, and are chosen as student educators (help lead meetings, workshops, presentations) based on expressed interest and commitment to the program.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:

Green Patriots are trained on various sustainability topics hosted by the Office of Sustainability on a regular basis. Regular peer-to-peer meetings with Green Patriots with diverse backgrounds and knowledge allow participants to share best sustainable practices across the university.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination):

The Office of Sustainability funds the meetings and weekend trips for the Green Patriots, as well as a paid student intern to manage the program. The Patriot Green Fund is also utilized to fund sustainability projects that the Green Patriots implement.


Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
Environment and Sustainability Living Learning Community

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
6,216

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):

The Environment and Sustainability Learning Living Community is an on-campus residential community that unites students by their vision for a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable future for our planet. All residents are enrolled in a Leadership and Sustainability course in which they engage in peer-teaching and implement campus greening initiatives. Students have implemented multiple green initiatives including an up-cycling program, informational film screenings, and numerous sustainability workshops.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):

Students fill out an application and are selected based on their expressed interest in sustainability.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):

The Environment and Sustainability Living Learning Community leaders (resident advisors and peer mentors) receive training on program planning from Mason Housing. All residents are required to be enrolled in a Leadership and Sustainability course. In this course the residents learn how to educate their peers about sustainability initiatives and how to implement their own sustainability projects.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (2nd program):

George Mason University (Mason) Housing provides funding for the Living Learning Community programming and members apply to the Patriot Green Fund for project funding.


Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
Well-Being Team

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
44,713

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):

The Well-Being Team (WBT) is a student organization that plays an essential role in making George Mason a model well-being university. Their mission is to educate students about well-being practices in and out of the classroom. WBT creates campus wide opportunities to engage in well-being, and provides experiences for students to develop vitality, purpose, resilience, and engagement to create a culture where Mason students can thrive. In order to pursue their mission, the organization facilitates education around well-being, creates opportunities for students to engage in well-being practices, and maintains an online presence by promoting well-being to students through a comprehensive marketing strategy. The WBT has annual events including Well-Being Day, the Gratitude Project, De-stress Fest, and a month long Spring into Well-Being with multiple events. Additionally, through out the year the WBT offers student led educational workshops to teach students about well-being practices.


A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):

There is a formal application process for any student at Mason who is interested in becoming a student leader within the WBT. Students are chosen based on their availability for training sessions, academic standing within the university, and their sincere desire to help create a well-being culture within the Mason community. Any other students interested in well-being have the ability to join the WBT Street Team, so they can take part in meetings, volunteer at any events, and be trained to assist with workshop facilitation.


A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):

All the students on the Well-Being Team receive formal training by well-being educators that work within Mason’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Students also participate in peer-to-peer training on workshop facilitation to run their own workshop.


A brief description of the financial and/or administrative support the institution provides to the program (e.g. annual budget and/or faculty/staff coordination) (3rd program):

Mason’s Student Involvement provides administrative support by hiring a Graduate Assistant Advisor to help manage the Well-Being Team. The Graduate Assistant Advisor works with the Executive Director of Student Involvement, who also works directly with the student group. Additionally, GMU provides a budget for the WBT student leader stipends and any events/workshops the group puts together.


A brief description of all other student peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education programs, including the number of students served and how student educators are selected, trained, and supported by the institution:
---

Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
---

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Date is for FY16.

URL for Green Patriot Program: http://green.gmu.edu/greenpatriots/students.cfm
URL for Sustainability LLC: http://ess.gmu.edu/about/living-learning-community
URL for Well-Being Team: https://si.gmu.edu/well-being-team/


The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.