University of Connecticut
EN-3: Student Life

EcoHusky - The EcoHusky student group (student governed) is an active group devoted entirely to sustainability and environmentally themed initiatives. The group has a distribution list of 200-400 students in any given calendar year, with active participation at events and projects of 100-200 members per semester. EcoHusky organizes informative events that align with their mission like having speakers, film screenings, tabling events, volunteer trips, clothing swaps, and more. The EcoHusky student group also maintains centralized resources for students wanting to get involved in other sustainability and environmentally themed groups. It also acts as a volunteer source and ally of the UConn Office of Sustainability. Current roster = 334 https://ecohusky.uconn.edu/ecohusky-student-group/

Alpha Zeta – an honorary professional society for students studying agriculture, environment, health, and related areas (student governed). Current roster = 10 http://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/alphazeta

American Society of Landscape Architects - A student run UConn chapter that hosts guest lectures and workshops related to landscape architecture as well as organizes trips to various landscape architecture projects throughout the region. Current roster = 20 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/americansocietyoflandscapearchitects

Beekeeping Club – a student group that allows students to engage in both hands on and educational activities related to beekeeping (student governed). Current roster = 148 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/beekeepingclub

Birding Club - a student run organization focused on the biology and conservation of birds in addition to the hobby of birding (student governed). Current roster = 61 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/UConnBirding

American Fisheries Society Southern New England Chapter- a subunit of a national society focused on furthering education in fisheries as well as conservation and research. Current roster = 22
https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/americanfisheriessociety

Clean Energy Society (CES) – Founded in 2020, this student organization consists of 10-20 passionate students focusing on energy and its intersections. CES works closely with UConn faculty and staff on dispersing information on clean energy and battery storage research, organizing tours of facilities, and inviting guest speakers from groups like Eversource, ISO New England, and Avangrid. (student governed) Current roster = 33 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/clean-energy-society

Dairy Club, UCONN – a student group representing many different backgrounds and academic majors who share a common interest and love for dairy cattle and the dairy industry. (student governed) Current roster = 40 http://ucdairyclub.webs.com/

Engineers without Borders – a non-profit humanitarian organization established to partner with developing communities worldwide to improve their quality of life. The UConn chapter is student governed and models its activities after its parent organization. For example, members volunteered at CLiCK, a local non-profit that brings together local small businesses and sustainable food to improve their indoor and outdoor garden infrastructure. Current roster = 80 https://ewb.uconn.edu/

EcoGarden Club – a student group that chooses a sustainable approach to gardening, using nutrient-rich crops and preserving soil integrity with compost, reduced tillage, and crop rotation. EcoGarden maintains a plot of land in the Mansfield Community Garden, hosting student community farming hours on Sundays when weather permits. The group also hosts festivals and events based on certain gardening products like fire cider, mint syrup, and garlic. (student governed). Current roster = 139 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/ecogardenclub

EcoPosium - a student group which organizes and hosts a three day symposium focusing on the intersections of the environment with pertinent topics. Their goal is to introduce and immerse students not traditionally involved in environmentalism or sustainability. The organization is composed of 3-4 subcommittees dedicated to planning each day of the symposium. Topics will be chosen for each subcommittee at the start of every fall semester. Ecoposium hosts guest speakers from a variety of environmental backgrounds in a formal conference setting to facilitate meaningful conversations. Each day of the symposium will be dedicated to a specific topic (student governed). Current roster = 55 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/ecoposium

Environmental Justice Front (EJF) – a student group focusing on climate activism and local environmental change, this organization was founded in 2019 as Fridays for Future, but rebranded in 2021. This organization educates and rallies students to push for the administration to account for environmental justice and equity, prioritizing divestment and decarbonization. (student governed) Current roster = 106 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/uconnfridaysforfuture

Environmental Justice Sub-Committee, Undergraduate Student Government - the Environmental Justice Sub-Committee was created by a lobbying effort from ECOalition and organizes events and initiatives with environmental themes based off of UConn's 2020 Vision Plan on sustainability. For example, the Committee helped obtain Student Government approval for the initiative to make Environmental Literacy a University of Connecticut General Education requirement. They exist as a subcommittee under USG Student Services. Current roster = 106 https://usg.uconn.edu/committees/student-services/

Farm Club - a student organization that works with the Spring Valley Student, and provides students the opportunity to interact with off-campus farming opportunities. Current roster = 20

Forestry and Wildlife Club – a student group representing different majors, for people who share an interest in the outdoors and natural resources (student governed). Current roster = 20 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/forestry

Geology Club - a student run organization geared towards students with an interest in geology and Earth sciences. (https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/geologyclub) Current roster = 57

Horticulture Club – a student governed club that promotes an interest in horticulture by sponsoring social, education, and volunteer activities. Works closely with greenhouse staff to cultivate plants. https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/horticultureclub Current Roster = 24

Natural Resources & the Environment Graduate Student Association – an organization of graduate students focusing on increasing inclusivity and empowering their members to be involved with faculty and administration. The NRE Graduate Student Association provides opportunities for members to be on hiring committees, attend faculty meetings, and purchase merchandise. It allows enables graduate students to meet and connect outside of their research. (student governed) Current roster = 28
NetImpact – a recently founded student organization, NetImpact is a local chapter of a national organization focused on building a just and sustainable business world. (student governed)

Outing Club - The UConn Outing Club is composed of a group of people who enjoy pursuing outdoor activities and frequently go on weekend trips. This is the largest student organization on campus. The UConn Outing Club shares and amplifies environmental initiatives on campus, acting as an introduction for students looking to be involved in recreational usage of the environment to become further immersed in the other organizations listed. (student governed) Current roster = 1458 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/outingclub

Resource Economics Club - The Resource Economics Club is an organization of students interested in resource economics and agribusiness. Membership is open to all majors. Current roster = 15 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/rec
UConn Scouting Association - This club is made up of anyone interested in the many forms of scouting. They participate in community service, outdoor adventures, and personal development, all with a healthy respect for the environment. Current roster = 29 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/usa

Sigma Alpha - Sigma Alpha is a professional agricultural sorority that promotes scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship among its members. Current roster = 36 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/sigmaalpha

Soil and Water Conservation Society - The mission of the UConn Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society is to promote conservation in a university setting as well as to educate and raise awareness on issues of sustainability. Members engage in activities such as trail clean-ups on and off campus, as well as university rooftop garden maintenance, and specifically designed and installed their own rain garden outside of the School of Agriculture building. Current roster = 32 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/ecc

SOS Food Recovery - a Social Service Program within the large organization of Community Outreach. Food Recovery works in collaboration with UConn Dining Services and the Covenant Soup Kitchen of Willimantic. Volunteers transport leftover UConn Cafe food to the Covenant Soup Kitchen daily, Monday-Friday. This is an effort to create a greener campus and decrease campus food waste, as well as to help the Covenant Soup Kitchen provide daily meals to the Willimantic community in efforts to reduce food insecurity. Current roster = 1 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/cofoodrecovery

Spring Valley Student Farm (SVSF) – EcoHouse hosts a student-run farm near the Storrs campus where students learn about organic farming practices. Together they grow a variety of produce and herbs that are used in one of UConn’s Dining Halls, as well as two restaurants in the Student Union. Current roster = 137 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/svsf

Transportation and Recreation Sub-Committee, Undergraduate Student Government – The Transportation and Recreation Sub-Committee organizes events for students to utilize public transportation and lobbies for the on-campus population to UConn Facilities Operations. They exist as a subcommittee under USG Student Services. Current roster = 106 https://usg.uconn.edu/committees/student-services/

UConn Collaborative Organizing – UCCO mobilizes for diversity, equity, and climate action. They prioritize intersectionality to create sustainable solutions that represent everyone and ensure that no person or facet of an issue goes overlooked or undermined. Their goal is to connect organizations on campus to push for collaborative activism and action. Current roster = 101 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/collab

VegHuskies - The goal of Veg Huskies is to serve as a group of students that can collectively discuss animal welfare and rights issues, vegan and vegetarian diet and lifestyle, and serve as a resource to other students and the local community for information on living vegan or vegetarian, which includes greatly reducing your environmental footprint. Current roster = 10 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/veghuskies

Wildlife Society - The Wildlife Society was founded in 1937 as an international non-profit scientific and educational association.(UConn chapter is student governed) Current roster = 20 https://sites.google.com/site/uconnwildlifesociety/about-us
Young Farmers Club – This student organization focuses on opening agricultural opportunities to all students on-campus. Their goals consist of exploring all agricultural intersections and developing their members to become mindful farmers. (student governed) Current roster = 14 https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/uyfc

Spring Valley Student Farm (SVSF) consists of two UConn-owned farmhouses which serve as student residences for 12 students who grow greens, herbs & vegetables, and raise bees on a nearby plot. It's a unique student living experience with a working organic farm. In addition, when weather permits, there is a bus to the farm on Fridays that is welcome to all students who wish to volunteer and learn more. SVSF in 2021-22 received a social sustainability grant to implement a privy and restore their solar panel, and received another grant in 2022-23 to work with the nearby town of Willimantic.
Beyond SVSF, farm members provide valuable additions to the community. SVSF sets up a stand in the center of campus to sell their produce to the UConn community for the spring, summer, and fall. SVSF provides produce for use by UConn Dining Services, while also maintaining small garden projects in two dining halls, exhibiting urban applications of agriculture to the broader community. Students on the farm and volunteers work on projects like apiaries, edible forest, aquaponics, and more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pdi8Uq3gTE
https://dining.uconn.edu/spring-valley-farm/
In addition, the UConn student governed EcoGarden Club maintains an organic garden on the northern edge of campus, which is in correspondence with the local municipality. They recently received a nine-thousand-dollar social sustainability grant to develop a composting program and implement an outdoor classroom to increase student engagement. EcoGarden offers service hours to students on Sundays, growing vegetables, fruits, and seasonings.
https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/ecogardenclub
https://www.instagram.com/uconnecogarden/?hl=en
There are several roof-top gardens currently on campus. These gardens help control climate in the building, reduce stormwater runoff, create more permeable surface area, provide insulation, and increase biodiversity, among other things. Additionally, there are bioretention gardens across campus that reduce storm-water runoff and increase biodiversity. Student groups, like Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) assist in rain garden maintenance and pushing Facilities Operations to implement more.
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/low-impact-development-2/
https://career.uconn.edu/organizations/soil-water-conservation-society-uconn-student-chapter/

Spring Valley Student Farm (SVSF) sells farm-fresh produce—grown using organic methods—at the UConn Farmer's Market every Thursday from 11:30-1:30 PM from April-October. The farmer’s market is located on Fairfield Way. SVSF also sells some of their produce to Earth, Wok, and Fire and One Plate, Two Plate; both of which are restaurants located in the Student Union.
https://dining.uconn.edu/spring-valley-farm/
https://www.instagram.com/springvalleystudentfarm/?hl=en
UConn Forestry Club sells sustainably manufactured products. They sell maple syrup as well as handcrafted wood products.
https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/forestry
UConn Clothing Swap is a new initiative which started as a grassroots campaign between a student organization and a student entrepreneur project, which had six swap shops during the 2021-2022 academic semester. Starting in August 2022, the UConn Clothing Swap Shop was funded with the Office of Sustainability Environmental and Social Sustainability Small Grant. This enabled this organization to acquire a full-time space on campus and to accumulate some clothes to kickstart the swap. This student run enterprise has been running strong since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQzMC_e-Ip4
https://today.uconn.edu/2022/08/sustainable-fashion-swap-shop-coming-to-campus/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1UNtFAXY0Y

The Student Managed Funds, which each control $1 Million investment portfolios managed in conjunction with the School of Business and the UConn Foundation, after consultation with the President's Committee for Corporate Social Responsibility (PCCSR), decided to engage in Socially and Environmentally Responsible Investing (SRI/ERI). The instructions are below:
Student Managed Fund
Investment and Corporate Social Responsibility
The University of Connecticut (“UConn”) has a longstanding commitment to the protection and advancement of socially responsible practices that reflect respect for fundamental human rights and the dignity of all people. UConn strives to promote basic human rights and appropriate labor standards for all people throughout its supply chain. Promoting these values in concrete practice is the central charge of the President’s Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility.
UConn is also committed to building a safe, healthy and sustainable environment through the conservation of natural resources, increasing its support for environmentally responsible companies (including renewable resources), and preventing pollution and minimizing waste through reduction, reuse and recycling.
To make SRI/ERI investing consistent with UConn’s commitment:
• Prefer to invest in companies that are compliant with federal and state laws and executive orders in general, and specifically regarding:
• Non-discrimination
• Freedom of Association
• Collective Bargaining
• Labor Standards (wages, hours, leaves)
• Child Labor
• Health and Safety regulations
• Harassment or Abuse Forced Labor
• Environmental Compliance
• Prefer to invest in companies that respect international human rights
• Prefer to invest in companies that comply with foreign law
• Prefer to invest in sustainable industries, such as renewable energy or sustainable forestry
• Prefer to invest in businesses selected for exemplary sustainability performances
• Prefer to invest in Community development financial institutions
http://csr.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/792/2015/11/Student-Manged-Fund-11-04-2015.pdf
Home | Student Managed Fund (uconn.edu)

The Edwin Way Teale Lecture Series developed as a joint effort of several departments, out of discussions in 1995 by faculty members and graduate students with common interests in the many facets of environmental issues. The Lecture Series is designed to bring a variety of distinguished speakers to the University to speak on various aspects of nature and the environment.
The poster that highlights every 2020-2022 speaker can be found here:
https://cese.uconn.edu/teale-lecture-series-poster-archive/
https://cese.uconn.edu/the-edwin-way-teale-lecture-series/
Every year, the UConn students who attend the United Nations Conference of the Parties (November 2022 COP27 was hosted by Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh), host a poster session titled Climate Cafe open to everyone at UConn where they design and present their takeaways to the UConn community. The trip is funded completely by UConn and is open to students of all majors. At the conference, students attend speaker sessions, panels, discussions, and networking events all related to the environment and other elements of sustainability.
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/uconn-at-cop/
The Earth Day Spring Fling (EDSF) is an annual celebration of sustainability co-sponsored by the University of Connecticut Dining Services and the Office of Sustainability. Every Earth Day since 2008, this festival has featured live music, organic local food, eco-friendly vendors, green companies. We also invite sustainability related campus groups to bring educational displays to promote green awareness on campus.
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/earth-day-spring-fling/
Green Careers Panel is an Office of Sustainability and Center for Career Development opportunity, presenting students with insights from individuals with field experience. The Office of Sustainability invites five personnel from multiple distinct disciplines, who discuss their tips and tricks for sustainability as a profession. This offers students the ability to question and learn about career avenues and possibilities.
Carbon Coffee Talks are hosted by the Carbon Reduction Working Group, which is overseen by Facilities Operations, professors, and student groups. This initiative is aimed to provide students insight into how campus operates and the infrastructural barriers to decarbonization. It also facilitates discussion on how to overcome these barriers.
Several academic departments hold lecture series that include speakers and themes of sustainability. Departments include the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department, Natural Resources and the Environment, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Landscape Architecture, Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems, and more. Example lectures include “Climate change mitigation potential in coastal wetlands: Research to support management and policy”, “Interactive effects of forest fragmentation and climate change on the carbon cycle”, “Food Waste Policy”: Using Systems Change to Stop Squandering One of our Greatest Resources”, and more.
The website URL where information about the conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability is available (optional):
http://lib.uconn.edu/about/events/tealelectures/
https://nre.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3356/2022/09/Poster_NREseminars_2022-2023.pdf
https://eeb.uconn.edu/

The on-campus museum William Benton Museum of Art showed an exhibit titled "The Human Epoch Living in the Anthropocene" throughout the entire Fall 2021 semester in collaboration with the following UConn Department of Geosciences. This exhibition focused on supporting the recent adoption of the Environmental Literacy requirement for students, providing introductory pieces pertaining to the new environmental era we could be embarking into.
https://benton.uconn.edu/the-human-epoch-living-in-the-anthropocene/
A student, Lauren Pawlowski, was awarded a UConn IDEA Grant at our university. Over the period of the summer and fall, a film about “Youth Involvement in the U.S. National Parks: A Short Documentary and Still Photography Exhibition Mentors” was produced, highlight environmental conservation heroes. This was
https://ugradresearch.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/323/2021/01/Cohort-16-Fall-2020-UConn-IDEA-Grant-Press-Release.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvO8M6-mEJ8
Uconn’s School of Fine Arts DMD has collaborated with UConn Extension to provide high school students the tools to communicate environmental issues in their community. This is providing 270 high school students across Connecticut the means to means to tell a story, giving a voice to under represented community in the climate crisis.
https://dmd.uconn.edu/2022/08/10/e-steam-ahead/
The website URL where information about the cultural arts events, installations or performances is available (optional):
https://theenvironment.uconn.edu/

UConn Outdoors is one of the diverse programs and services hosted by UConn Recreation. Its goal is to offer diverse and enjoyable instructional adventure experiences. UConn Outdoors provides:
- Knowledgeable instruction
- Friendly & attentive service
- Exciting programming
- Quality outdoor equipment & facilities
- Leadership development
Its staff includes outdoor professionals, qualified volunteers and fellow UConn students who have prepared through our training system to offer a fantastic adventure experience. They have led successful programs for the past 17 years throughout New England, the continental United States and beyond. (university governed)
https://recreation.uconn.edu/programs/uconn-outdoors/
UConn Outing Club is a student run club that organizes trips and everything outdoors, including rock climbing, ice climbing, backpacking, white water rafting, camping, hiking, caving and more.
https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/outingclub
The UConn Scouting Association strongly adheres to the scouting principle of "Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints" while going on camping and hiking trips, thus leaving no trace that they were there.
https://uconntact.uconn.edu/organization/USA
Nature Rx is part of a network of college campuses, promoting time spent outdoors in nature. Nature Rx collaborates with on-campus mental health services, academic departments, and student organizations to engage UConn affiliated individuals in nature.
https://naturerx.initiative.uconn.edu/
UConn Campus Clean-Up occurs semesterly, overseen by the Ocean Recovery Community Alliance, the Office of Sustainability, and UConn Recovery Community. In March 2022, two hundred picked up near 1,000 pounds of waste from UConn outdoor spaces, while in October 2022 one hundred students picked up 670 pounds.
https://dailycampus.com/2022/11/01/the-uconn-recovery-community-treats-ampus-to-a-cleanup/

UConn Reads for 2020-21 academic year selected Amitav Ghosh’s The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable. This novel inspired a conversation on-campus about the climate crisis and its global impact. Ghosh came to UConn’s campus on April 21, 2021, to discuss the book with students and faculty. Classes across campus also required reading and conversation around the premise, ensuring that campus focused on large level climate change ramifications.
https://uconnreads.uconn.edu/archive/uconn-reads-2021-archive/
Each fall as part of the university's "first-year experience" courses, students can sign up to take courses that relate to sustainability. FYE classes include topics of Landscape Architecture, Food, Sustainability, and more. Further, there is a “first-year experience” course open to environmental science and studies majors in which students can talk to environmental faculty and learn can learn about majoring in the sustainability field.

Students may choose to live in EcoHouse which is a themed dorm (living and learning community) for students who are interested in preserving the environment.
http://lc.uconn.edu/
Students who want a more active hands-on living situation can choose to live at Spring Valley Farm where students become farmers who practice sustainable agriculture.

The Office of Sustainability (OS) employs a team of student interns whose main objective is to increase sustainability and environmental awareness on campus. Student interns have a wide range of responsibilities that include organizing a variety of prominent environmental events on campus and making educational outreach material. OS allows offers EcoCaptain internship positions for students to engage in on-campus behavioral change, bringing sustainability into the dormitory.
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/meet-the-interns-2/ (Office of Sustainability)
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/ecocaptains/ (Office of Sustainability)
Along with the OS, the Natural Resource Conservation Academy (NRCA) works under umbrella organization IoE. NRCA employs students as Difference Maker Mentors, who’s primary task is working with high school students to create local change and improvements. There is also an educational component for the Difference Making Mentors, providing them access to faculty and staff member support.
https://nrca.uconn.edu/dmm/
Spring Valley Student Farm also employs student farmers over the summer. Applicants must be physically capable of performing the strenuous physical labor necessary to do garden chores under a variety of climatic conditions. The student gardener needs to have a curious mind, an interest in organic gardening methods, good communication skills, a sense of humor in the face of adversity, be able to work independently without direct supervision, good problem-solving abilities, and have a proven positive work ethic.
https://dining.uconn.edu/svsf-employment/ (Spring Valley Student Farm)
NatureRx offers students employment opportunities as program leads and communication interns. Students are funded through the I Thrive Naturally grant, which allows them to guide this burgeoning program and engage students in outdoor mental health workshops.
https://naturerx.initiative.uconn.edu/about/
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has several employment opportunities for students looking to advocate for sustainability and the environment on behalf of their constituents. This past year, they have created a paid Environmental Justice coordinator, Transportation Coordinator, and Student Services Director. These positions empower students to promote positive change in all aspects of UConn life.
https://usg.uconn.edu/committees/student-services/
UConn students can take an Environmental Corps course, which provides them the ability to work with the community on a project as internship credit. UConn CLEAR and UConn Extension offer positions to students that work in these positions.
https://nemo.uconn.edu/stormwater-corps/
Additionally, students may apply for internships concerning social equity through the Human Rights Institute.
http://humanrights.uconn.edu/internships/ (Human Rights Institute)
The website URL where information about the student employment opportunities is available:
http://lc.uconn.edu/ (EcoHouse)

Careers for the Common Good (CCG) sponsors and encourages students to register for socially and environmentally responsible employers. The CCG program at UConn—a collaboration between Career Services, the Office of Community Outreach, and the Human Rights Institute— provides resources and encourages students to explore career paths that positively affect the community and society at large.
https://career.uconn.edu/channels/non-profit-social-service-and-other-careers-for-the-common-good/#:~:text=Careers%20for%20the%20Common%20Good%20is%20a%20collaborative%20program%20through,create%20change%20through%20their%20careers.

The Hillside Environmental Education Park (HEEP) is a 165-acre trail network on campus that provides students, faculty, and community members with a retreat from the hustle and bustle of campus. Patrons can engage in hiking and biking, and signage is present throughout the park to educate users about the surrounding environment, ecosystems, and low impact development strategies in place to protect local wildlife. In addition, classes often have field trips and coursework that utilizes the HEEP.
UConn students and faculty members have spearheaded an initiative referred to as "Fossil Fuel Free UConn (FFFU)", where they meet weekly to apply pressure on the university to create a decarbonization plan by 2040. This led to the president committing to Carbon Neutrality by 2030. This group also disperses student environmental events to campus, acting as a center point for all environmentally related student organizations.

Sources are linked below each paragraph. Information is from 2020-2022.