Santa Clara University
EN-3: Student Life

GREEN (Grass Roots Environmental Efforts Now) is a sustainability club focused on promoting sustainable action and organization on campus.

Oceans & Rivers Conservation Alliance’s mission is to educate Santa Clara University about water pollution and create positive change by enacting sustainable solutions to water pollution within our community.

Surfrider Foundation SCU Club is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches through active volunteering, ocean conservation awareness, clean water testing, and controlling plastic pollution.

Santa Clara Sunrise aims to bring awareness regarding climate change to the campus of Santa Clara in terms of political action. We advocate for the Green New Deal and progressive policies and candidates, locally and nationally, that share the same values as the Green New Deal.

Net Impact SCU Graduate Chapter strives to inspire and equip emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world.

SCU Food Recovery Network fights food waste and hunger by recovering surplus food from on-campus dining venues and catered events and donating it to a local non-profit food distribution center. The organization works to promote greater consciousness of the injustices of food waste amongst the student body at Santa Clara University.

Engineers Without Borders (undergraduate and graduate chapters) support community-driven development by implementing sustainable, user-centric solutions to solve pressing challenges in developing nations.

https://www.scu.edu/csi/organizations/directory/

The Forge is SCU’s half-acre organic garden where the campus community can volunteer, learn about sustainable agriculture, and participate in community events. The Forge Garden currently has chickens, beehives, a 400-square foot greenhouse, a compost center, fruit trees, an outdoor kitchen with a wood-fired oven, over 15,000-square feet of garden beds, a public commons, an aquaponics system, and the 2007 Solar Decathlon House used as an office. The Forge hosts a weekly farmstand and volunteer hours, among other events, where students, faculty, staff, and the community can visit, conduct research, use the space as an outdoor classroom, and benefit from the garden vegetables and local honey. The Forge Garden hosts various workshops offered throughout the year.

https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/programs/theforge/

Bronco Surplus is a donation-based, pop-up shop that appears at the beginning of the school year for first-generation students to find reusable dorm room essentials such as desk organizers, plastic bin organizers, laundry bins, shoe organizers, and wall decor. All items are available for a suggested donation of $2/small item and $5/big item. Bronco Surplus is organized by the Circular Economy Student Sustainability Coordinator.

https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/events/bronco-surplus/

The Campus Sustainability Investment Fund (CSIF) is an internal fund that provides financing to projects that reduce energy use via conservation or efficiency (electricity or natural gas), transportation emissions associated with student/employee commute or university-sponsored travel, landfill waste, and water consumption. Santa Clara students, faculty, and staff are eligible and encouraged to apply for funding. Projects can be submitted by an individual or as a team. The CSIF is an educational tool to provide hands-on learning and involve our campus community in driving positive change at Santa Clara University. The goal of the fund is to encourage the university’s population to create their own solutions to help SCU meet our sustainability goals.

https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/programs/investmentfund/

Started in Fall 2019, tUrn is a bi-annual climate crisis awareness and action conference held for one week in October and one week in April. tUrn centers conversations around the climate crisis to empower the community to learn, engage, and take action toward meaningful solutions.

https://www.scu.edu/turn/

The EcoFashion Show showcases designs made by SCU community members from upcycled clothing or waste materials. This fun event is an opportunity to consider the environmental impact of the fashion industry and learn about sustainable solutions.

https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/events/ecofashion-show/

Into the Wild is a chartered student organization committed to the Leave No Trace principles that joins together students with a shared interest and/or passion for the outdoors and outdoor activities. Into the Wild provides students with opportunities to get off campus and explore California’s wilderness. Organized trips are held every week with activities including hiking, backpacking, snow camping, rock climbing, kayaking, rafting, surfing, and more. Into the Wild aims to promote healthy, substance-free fun while encouraging education in environmentally sustainable practices.

https://www.scu.edu/csi/organizations/cso/directory/itw/

The Sustainability Liaison Network engages sustainability enthusiasts across the campus to further develop a culture of sustainability at SCU and to learn, share, and educate peers about sustainable life skills. Student organizations also have the option to join the student organization sustainability liaison group to collaborate with like-minded clubs to plan and host sustainability-related events. The residential sustainability liaison group empowers Santa Clara University Community Facilitators (CFs) to educate on-campus residents about sustainable lifestyle habits and promote events related to sustainability happening on campus.

https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/programs/liaisons/

The Center for Sustainability offers 16 paid positions for students (12 sustainability coordinators and 4 garden apprentices). Students are selected based on their professionalism, proof of leadership abilities, and passion to learn more about sustainability. Each student sustainability coordinator has a different focus area: Curriculum Development, Applied Learning, Data & Analytics, Graphic Design, Storytelling & Campaigns, Housing & Dining, Strategic Engagement, Circular Economy, Facilities Operations, Laudato Si, Career Empowerment, and Collaborative Events. The garden apprentices help maintain the campus garden and support the weekly Farm Stand, Forge Garden events, and volunteer days.

https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/about/staff/

Santa Clara University has nine Residential Learning Communities (RLCs), each with a specific theme and programming which focuses on certain core values. Cyphi's theme is rooted in sustainability and the arts.

https://www.scu.edu/living/residential-living-options/rlc-undergraduate-housing/cyphi---swig-hall/