Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.46
Liaison Margaret Bounds
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Connecticut College
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Margaret Bounds
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
1,928

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):
1,928

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

1st Program 

Name of the student educators program:
SustainabiliTEAM

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
1,928

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:
SustainabiliTEAM is a peer-to-peer education program run by the Office of Sustainability Fellows. Once a month training sessions are offered by the Fellows on sustainability topics such as how to recycle on campus, how to talk about climate change, and leave no trace principles. Outreach events are also held for Campus Sustainability Week and Earth Day. Students are also given the opportunity to sign up for the SustainabiliTEAM newsletter, which includes sustainability tips, profiles of students working on sustainability on campus, and sustainable career and internship opportunities.

A brief description of how the student educators are selected:
Sustainability Fellows are selected through an application and interview process. After review of applications, interviews are conducted by a Senior Fellow and either the Assistant Director of Sustainability or the Faculty Director of Sustainability. Sustainability Fellows are typically hired at the end of Spring Semester for the following academic year.

A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:
All Fellows are required to participate the Fellows Training Workshop that is designed to provide all involved students with a foundational understanding of the College's structure and function, how their projects connect to the College's overall sustainability goals and a set of skills that they will draw on as Fellows, including peer education and community-based social marketing. New Fellows are also required to take a 2-credit course titled "Applications of Sustainability" that provides a deeper understanding of sustainability and current issues and solutions.

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 program is coordinated by the Faculty Director and Assistant Director of Sustainability and funded from the Office of Sustainability operating budget. Sustainability Fellows are paid for up to 8 hours per week ($10.30/hr).

If reporting students served by additional peer-to-peer programs, provide:

2nd Program

Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
Sprout Garden Managers

Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
1,928

A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):
The Sprout Garden Managers lead open work days three times per week to introduce students, faculty and staff to organic gardening. Sprout is a student-run organic garden located behind the College Center at Crozier-Williams. The Sprout Garden offers an opportunity for students to become involved in all aspects of sustainable agriculture from growing to selling produce at a weekly market in the student union.

A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):
Sprout Garden Managers are selected through an application and interview process. Prior volunteer experience with the Sprout Garden is required.

A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):
Sprout Garden Managers attend a training session at the beginning of each semester that includes understanding of the College's structure, the College's sustainability goals and skills that they will draw on as Fellows, including peer education and community-based social marketing. New managers get hands-on training in the garden from the Senior Fellow for Sprout, returning managers, and mentors from the Sprout Advisory Board.

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):
The Sprout Garden is coordinated by the Office of Sustainability and Garden Managers are paid for the time they spend leading the open work days. The garden as a whole has an annual budget of approximately $7,000.

If reporting students served by three or more peer-to-peer programs, provide:

3rd Program 

Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
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Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):
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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):
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Additional Programs 

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:
None

Optional Fields 

Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
3,690

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:
The total number of hours of peer to peer activities was based on a combination of data from time sheets, hours logged in Track It Forward and estimates based on position type.

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.