Oklahoma State University
EN-3: Student Life

U.S. Green Building Council - Representing college- and university-based groups of students from all disciplines, USGBC Students is a way for hundreds of young leaders to come together and participate in hands-on green building experiences on their own campuses through service initiatives. USGBC helps students integrate sustainability themes into their coursework and advocate for sustainable university practices and policies.

Green Greeks - Green Greeks mission is to bring sustainable living to the Oklahoma State Greek Community. This will be accomplished through sustainability events and Green Greek Representatives from Greek Chapters educating members on sustainability.

Net Impact Oklahoma State University - Net Impact is a non-profit volunteer-led organization for students and professionals interested in using their skills in support of various social and environmental causes in society and the business world. We focus on three main types of sustainability: environmental, social, & economic. For each of these categories, we participate in or host an event or program each semester. Net Impact is a worldwide organization represented by professional, graduate, and undergraduate chapters across the world.

Society of Environmental Scientists - The Society for Environmental Scientists (SES) was founded over two decades ago as a multi-disciplinary organization of graduate students at Oklahoma State University (OSU) who are interested in environmental sciences and environmentally related issues. The mission is to enhance the experience of graduate students interested in environmental sciences/issues by fostering communication, influencing the academic program, promoting developmental activities, and providing opportunities to engage in environmental citizenship. ALL MAJORS ARE WELCOME.

Environmental Science Club - Our purpose is to stimulate interest in Environmental Science at Oklahoma State University and promote fellowship among students with environmental interests. We tackle projects to make OSU more sustainable, monitor Boomer Creek through the Blue Thumb program to ensure it's of adequate quality, participate in local events, assist in trash cleanups, go on camping trips, etc. Students of any major are welcome! Just request membership & you will start receiving emails from us. We'd love to have you!

Society of American Foresters/Forestry Club - Since 1900, the Society of American Foresters has provided access to information and networking opportunities to prepare members for the challenges and the changes that face natural resource professionals.

SAF Core Values are:
• Forests are a fundamental source of global health and human welfare,
• Forests must be sustained through simultaneously meeting environmental, economic, and community aspirations and needs,
• Foresters are dedicated to sound forest management and conservation, and
• Foresters serve landowners and society by providing sound knowledge and professional management skills

Mission Statement
The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is the national scientific and educational organization representing the forestry profession in the United States. Founded in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot, it is the largest professional society for foresters in the world. The mission of the Society of American Foresters is to advance the science, education, technology, and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and, to use the knowledge, skills, and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society. SAF is a nonprofit organization meeting the requirements of 501 (c) (3). SAF members include natural resource professionals in public and private settings, researchers, CEOs, administrators, educators, and students.

Oklahoma State University Beekeeping Club - The purpose of Beekeeping Club is to help reduce the declining bee population, learn about the effects of bees on the environment, get the community involved with local beekeeping and native plants, and to learn how to maintain and collect honey from hives.

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers - To bring together students, faculty and likeminded individuals who are interested in the world of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning. It has mission to promote a sustainable world.

Association of Energy Engineers - The purpose of this organization shall be to promote the scientific and educational interests of those engaged in the energy industry and to foster action for sustainable development.

Botanical Society - Promoting knowledge and interest in all things botanical. We promote professional development, sponsor lunch talks and evening speakers, go on field trips, and attend scientific meetings.

Cowboy Energy Club - The purpose of this organization shall be to educate individuals of the energy industry in a simplistic manner, network with alumni who have experience in the energy sector to present opportunities after graduation and to provide social events that will hopefully lead to lifelong connections among members and officers.

Ferguson College of Ag Ambassadors - The Ferguson College of Agriculture Ambassadors are a select group of agricultural and natural resource students dedicated to enhancing the image of and interest of the agriculture and natural resource industry and the Ferguson College of Agriculture and Oklahoma State University. Ferguson College Ambassadors serve the agricultural and natural resources industries in Oklahoma in a variety of capacities. This includes hosting functions to educate students about the career and educational opportunities in the industry, hosting prospective students on Oklahoma State campus and speaking on behalf of the college to various groups.

Horticulture Club - The OSU Horticulture Club's is the oldest student organization on campus - our mission is to promote and encourage academic, social, and professional interests in horticulture. We are a group passionate about plants and their impacts on all facets of our daily lives - from bedding plants to tropical and succulents to hydroponics and nursery management, we cover it all! Grow Pokes!

Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Science (MANRRS) - MANRRS is a national society that welcomes membership of people of all racial and ethnic group participation in agricultural and related science careers. MANRRS members are encouraged to be full participants in other professional societies for their basic disciplinary and career interests. However, MANRRS attempts to provide networks to support professional development of minorities. It is a springboard for their entry into and advancement in careers where they otherwise could be lost in the sheer number and established connections of mainstream participants. For student members, MANRRS provides role models and networking opportunities. MANRRS also offers students opportunities to enhance leadership and organizational and public speaking skills, and to experience professional critique of scholarly worked in a “user friendly” environment. An annual membership directory is planned to provide student members national exposure in career and graduate study markets. MANRRS professional members are often the only, or one of few, minority participants in their basic disciplinary societies or at their career locations. MANRRS provides them a network of counterparts from similar backgrounds with related interests and goals. More experienced members serve as mentors for newer graduates. The historical roots of traditionally formed networks within professions will prevent their replacement by MANRRS or any other alliance. However, MANRRS provides its members a similar inner circle of relationships to circumvent some of the exclusionary impacts of established professional lines of communication. Finally, MANRRS also serves employers in the broader agricultural sector. It provides them a platform to identify prospective well-qualified employees who are members of ethnic groups, which, when combined, are projected to be the new majority in the work force in the not-too-distant future.

Oklahoma Clean Lakes and Watersheds Association - University Chapter - The OSU chapter of OCLWA is a student-formed and student-run organization. Our main goal is to increase the participation and attendance at the annual OCLWA conference, while increasing the ability of our peers to network on a professional and personal level. In combination with the other two Oklahoma U-chapters (OU, ECU), we hope to partake in cleanups, annual research projects where each chapter will have a specific aspect of the project, and social events with other like-minded students.

Society of Environmental Scientists - The Society for Environmental Scientists (SES) was founded over two decades ago as a multi-disciplinary organization of graduate students at Oklahoma State University (OSU) who are interested in environmental sciences and environmentally related issues. The mission is to enhance the experience of graduate students interested in environmental sciences/issues by fostering communication, influencing the academic program, promoting developmental activities, and providing opportunities to engage in environmental citizenship. ALL MAJORS ARE WELCOME.

Family & Graduate Student Housing students share a community garden right in their neighborhood on campus. Each spring, residents may sign up for a 10' X 10' plot within the garden.

Real Pokes Pass It On is a collaborative effort between the SGA Sustainability Committee, Housing & Residential Life, Parent & Family Relations, and is co-sponsored by the Student Union Activities Board. At the end of the spring semester unwanted items such as clothing and furniture are collected from students and stored until the beginning of the fall semester when they are sold to students, faculty, and staff for reuse. Proceeds are donated to charity. This program is considered an enterprise as 1) summer storage place is solicited as a donation, 2) collected items are inventoried, 3) items are resold in fall for cash, which is collected and managed by students and donated to charity along with any unsold items.

The SGA Sustainability Committee operates a sustainable micro-finance program called the Green Student Initiative. Approximately $40,000 per year is awarded to students and student orgs. to conduct a green project on campus. Students must develop the project, create a budget, and written proposals. Finalists present the project idea to a panelists of judges and may receive up to $5,000 to carry out their initiative in the following academic year.

Each academic year, SGA Sustainability Committee hosts a Green Student Forum, which convenes leaders of about a dozen student orgs. that are related to sustainability. The GSI focuses on ways to collaborate throughout the year and especially during OSU's Earth Week and Earth Fest held in April.

The Finding Center Conference, organized by OSU’s student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, features internationally-known keynote speakers and breakout sessions that appeal to sustainability in design for engineers, policy makers, scientists, developers, land owners, community members, and more.  The full-day conference attracts students, regional professionals, faculty, alumni and the general public and is held in Stillwater every even year.

Landscape Architecture students often display installations of work that relate to sustainability such as recycle bins made from recycled or discarded materials. These installations have been showcased in the Student Union's gallery.

Earth Week is hosted by SGA Sustainability and the Student Union Activities board. It occurs every year around Earth Day and focuses on educating the OSU community on sustainability and enjoying the outdoors with EarthFest as its center point.

EarthFest features a day of music performances, student environmental design displays, sustainability exhibits, vendors, vegetarian food, and fun activities.

Outdoor Adventure emphasizes adventure, environmental awareness, personal development, safety training, wilderness travel and fun through its workshops and trip programs. As part of our program design philosophy, OSU Outdoor Adventure teaches and models the Principles of Leave No Trace ethics to student participants.

The Office of Sustainability employs and trains students to conduct student outreach presentations and develop/execute marketing plans year-round for various sustainability programs, projects and events.

The Sustainability Office offers volunteer projects to involve students and student organizations that contribute to learning by introducing a challenge or issue, providing training, and monitoring progress. Volunteer projects range from helping with STARS data collection to marketing the water bottle refill stations to checking outdoor lighting around campus to ensure lights are not on during the day.