California Polytechnic State University
IN-24: Innovation A

In the fall of 2016 Energy, Utilities and Sustainability staff hosted the first annual Student Sustainability Leadership Summit. The two day event consisted of workshops and activities for students interested in sustainability at Cal Poly. The summit aimed to prepare students for the upcoming year, develop a greater sense of community, and provide a space to create actionable goals for each interest group. The culminating event was group presentations to staff and faculty stakeholders from across campus. After presentations, stakeholders were invited to provide feedback on student’s project plans for the year ahead. Goals outlined below were to: -Build community within Green Campus team and other student sustainability leaders on campus -Develop a clear sustainability vision for the campus by students for students -Begin developing goals, work plans, and partnerships efforts for the 16/17 school year -Develop a leadership training template to be used annually and planned by students to ensure leadership sustainability Outcomes of this event included re-ignition of a dormant student coalition called the Empower Poly Coalition, the continuation of an effort to promote a Green Initiative Fund on campus, and new plans for various sustainability related events and activities across campus. There are conversations around planning this event for this coming fall and encouraging wider participation from social justice related clubs.