| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.09 |
| Liaison | DeLayne Miller |
| Submission Date | Dec. 18, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Tennessee Technological University
EN-1: Student Educators Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.69 / 4.00 |
Number of students enrolled for credit (headcount):
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):
Percentage of students served by a peer-to-peer educator program:
Name of the student educators program:
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (headcount):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities:
The Eco Rep Program, created in 2018, engages every department in all things sustainability related and works to improve the knowledge of sustainability on campus through peer-to-peer education. The main duties of the Eco Reps are to meet with the department head and at least 2 professors once a semester. In the meetings, the Eco Reps are expected to help improve the knowledge of sustainability within the department.
Eco Reps are to stay up-to-date on sustainability related events and attend at least one Sustainable Campus Committee meeting per month, volunteer at least 2 sustainability related events per semester, and constantly model sustainable behavior. These sustainability events engage the campus community in all things sustainability on campus and this gives Eco Reps the opportunity to engage in conversations with students about sustainability. The main goal of the Eco Rep Program is to work to include sustainability in all departments on campus. This requires the Eco Reps educating students in their department as well as faculty and staff.
Once these standards are met, the Eco Reps are to complete a service log, which documents the total number of hours spent completing this program. Once the service log is evaluated and completion is met, each student will receive a $100 Leaders in Sustainability Scholarship.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected:
Eligibility for this program is that you must be a student in the department you are applying for and be of good academic standing.
Students who are interested in joining the Eco Rep Program must fill out an application and submit it to the Sustainability Manager. An interview is then arranged and the Sustainability Manager will prepare the students with all the information necessary to be successful in the program.
Included in the application is the students:
1) Contact information
2) Major and graduation date
3) A brief description of why they want to join the program and how they would benefit the Eco Rep program and overall sustainability
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach:
Orientation is conducted by the Sustainability Manager and will include various types of training including:
1) Any questions, feedback, concerns from the Eco Rep
2) A PowerPoint presentation highlighting the many projects accomplished on campus and the projects that are in the process of being completed by the Office of Sustainability
3) Training on how to navigate the Office of Sustainability section on Tennessee Tech's website so students are able to take the Green Pledge
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):
If students meet all of the requirements of the program and complete their Eco Rep service log and serve the minimum amount of 10 hours, the students will receive a $100 Leaders in Sustainability Scholarship.
Name of the student educators program (2nd program):
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (2nd program):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):
The Office of Sustainability provides job opportunity to students through office positions and recycling positions. Students employed through the Office of Sustainability have a various number of responsibilities. These responsibilities range from organizing and planning events for the fall and spring semesters to reaching out to incoming freshman at Student Orientation's throughout the summer. The recycling workers gather all recycling year-round and work events where recycling is requested, demonstrating the importance of recycling on campus. The goal of the Office of Sustainability is to reach as many students as possible, whether that be through events such as the annual Sustainability Day Celebration or the Earth Day Celebration, the goal is to educate students on the various projects the Office of Sustainability is working on throughout campus. This builds connections with students in every department and helps increase awareness of sustainability on campus.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):
For all positions available through the Office of Sustainability, students must:
-Have a passion for sustainability
-Present themselves professionally in an office setting
-Have strong verbal and written communication skills
-Be timely and meet deadlines
-Are able to work outreach events and successfully convey to students what the Office of Sustainability is
-Be excited about taking on new challenges
Students that reach out to the Office of Sustainability by email or other communication source are interviewed by the Sustainability Manager, DeLayne Miller. During this interview, it is important to get an idea of what the student is interested in so they can be part of a specific project in the office. There are many different areas the student workers focus on, such as grant applications, event planning, and website design.
A positive attitude and desire to work hard is what is most desired. There are a limited amount of positions available, so finding someone that meets the qualifications is important.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (2nd program):
Upon being hired, students are educated on the various projects the Office of Sustainability does. There are PowerPoint presentations and a tab on the Tennessee Tech Website that shows the many things the Office of Sustainability is involved with on campus. During peer outreach, the student workers are expected to provide information they were given throughout training and through conducting their own research to students. It is important to tailor the information to the students major so they know that sustainability is tied into every major and department. Educating students on how diverse sustainability is on campus is valued in peer outreach events.
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):
Every semester a revolving fund is approved by the Sustainable Campus Committee that supports the Office of Sustainability and Recycling Workers.
Name of the student educators program (3rd program):
Number of students served (i.e. directly targeted) by the program (3rd program):
A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):
Friday Cafe is a program hosted through the School of Human Ecology for foods and nutrition students. The Friday Cafe is a student-led restaurant for all faculty, students, and staff. Open on Fridays for lunch, the cafe provides a real-world learning experience for students and allows them to experience every aspect of meal management including menu planning, food production, purchasing, and marketing to name a few.
Students, faculty, and staff who attend these lunches are educated on the nutritional value of their meals. There have been vegan/vegetarian meals served at several Friday Cafes, reaching a wide ranch of students, faculty, and staff.
A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
The student educators selected are food and nutrition students in the school of Human Ecology that are enrolled in the HEC 3240 Quantity Food Production class.
A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive to prepare them to conduct peer outreach (3rd program):
The training received includes meal planning, food production, purchasing, service, food sanitation and safety, and marketing. By each Friday, students have the tools and preparation needed to create a successful Friday Cafe.
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):
For every person attending the Friday Cafe, there is a single meal cost of $8 that goes directly towards the purchase of the food each Friday.
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:
Students are also given the opportunity to present their research, including sustainability-focused research, to other students at the Undergraduate STEM Research Seminar Series hosted by the Physics Department and open to all STEM majors. During the Spring 2019 seminar series Valerie Jones, TTU Wildlife and Fisheries student, presented her research to others students that focused on Distribution and abundance of the bluemask darter (Etheostoma akatulo) in the Collins River during summer 2018 (with an introduction to endangered species).
Students in STEM fields are selected to present at this seminar series based on faculty recommendation. The seminar location is booked in advance by the Physics Department and snacks are provided for free.
Total number of hours student educators are engaged in peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education activities annually (all programs):
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.