Luther College
EN-1: Student Educators Program

In 2018-2019, seven Sustainability Educators worked with the Center for Sustainable Communities. This is a peer-to-peer program designed to build a culture of sustainability around campus. Student's Duties and Responsibilities Planning and executing sustainability events (waste audits, energy audits, professional development workshops, film screenings, field trips) Coordinating waste and energy reduction efforts in the halls Leading or coordinating regular field trips of sustainability assets on campus (wind turbine, student garden, hiking trails) Promoting sustainability events on campus Managing move-out efforts Managing bike storage Develop sustainability content for bi-weekly newsletter Develop new initiatives for the campus (energy dashboards, clothing swaps) Collaborating with other campus groups to promote sustainability

Educators are selected through an application process. Interested students apply for the positions and are interviewed by the Sustainability Coordinator in the Center for Sustainable Communities. The available positions were promoted to all students on campus through the student work office and other campus communications channels.

Sustainability Educators have a one-on-one orientation and training with the Sustainability Coordinator at the start of their position. They are also paired with students who have been serving as Educators for a while so that skills can be passed from more experienced students to new educators. Experienced Educators host trainings around topics such as: move out, digital communications, our bike program, and recycling and compost. Sustainability Educators meet once a week with the Sustainability Coordinator. During these meetings Educators receive training and advice on program planning, coordination, and event logistics.

The Sustainability Educators program is supported by the Center for Sustainable Communities Sustainability and the college through the federal work study program.

The purpose of the Recycling and Compost Crew: To complete work related to campus recycling, composting and other alternative waste streams as needed in order to help Luther College to be a more environmentally conscious campus. Student's Duties and Responsibilities ● Pick up recycling from the Residence Halls, Academic Buildings and other offices using a truck. ● Unload the recyclables at the nearest recycling roll­off. ● Deliver compost from the Union Dock, academic buildings, and residential buildings to the compost pile on Pole Line Road. ● Pick out compost contaminants as needed to ensure a clean and usable end product. ● Maintain upkeep of individual recycling bins around campus (line with a bag, clean if dirty). ● Continually look for ways to improve the recycling program and share ideas with supervisor. The Recycling and Compost crew works with the Sustainability Educators in the Center for Sustainable Communities so the Educators know what kind of outreach to do to improve recycling and compost habits. The Recycling and Compost crew sets an example for the rest of the campus by practicing proper recycling and compost techniques.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis via a form on our website and reviewed as positions become available. Interviews are conducted and students are hired.

All student workers are required to attend an orientation prior to starting their work with us in the Fall. Students attend the same common session and then are broken up by group, with educators falling into one group. At that point students receive training about their expectations and our goals for the year.

These student educators are all paid as part of our work study program and are supported directly by Center for Sustainable Communities staff. The Center for Sustainable Communities provides funding to support projects and ideas developed by the students that align with institutional goals.

During move-out week students either volunteer on behalf of an organization or are added to our work study roster to assist with move-out. We accept between 30-40 students to be waste diverters during move-out week. Students are responsible for staffing the residence hall donation rooms, dumpsters and recycling bins during scheduled shifts throughout the week. They are responsible for assisting with waste diversion efforts and educating their peers through conversation and by providing assistance as students are moving out. Two Sustainability Educators are in charge of this program, with help from the Sustainability Coordinator on staff. The Educators appoint five to six other Educators to act as leads for move-out. Sustainability Educators and temporary staff put up posters, post on social media, and do face-to-face outreach during move-out to promote waste diversion. They stand next to the 11 recycling and waste facilities around campus, teaching students about recycling, waste diversion, and compost while students are moving out.

All of the sustainability workers are asked to assist with move-out if they are available. A call is also put out to all of campus through social media, the website and e-newsletters seeking any students interested in helping out. We will work with any student who wants to be involved and trained as a waste diverter.

Student waste diverters attend a mandatory training the week before move-out to learn about their responsibilities during move-out week and to come up to speed on Luther's goals and why their work during move-out week matters in the grand scheme of the college's zero waste plans.

Sustainability staff are entirely responsible for overseeing move-out week efforts, including training the student waste diverters, coordinating schedules, developing a training program, monitoring activity that week and coordinating with the thrift stores who come through campus every day to pick up donations. In some cases student waste diverters are paid and in other cases students volunteer in exchange for a donation to the student organization of their choosing.

Garden Crew Throughout the year the Center for Sustainable Communities employs between 8-10 garden crew workers who help manage our campus farm. The Garden Crew members educate other students by giving garden tours, telling peers about their work, and creating print and digital media to educate the campus about the food they are growing in the gardens.