Transylvania University
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Off campus internships are available for credit and provide valuable real world experience for students. (get examples from Susan & Michael) Students have also held academic and uncredited internships in the sustainability office at Transylvania University. These students engage in real work advancing sustainability on campus. Activities include: leading sustainable food-related outreach on campus for a full semester, and putting in place the pieces for programming in the future; assisting in conducting greenhouse gas and STARS reports and assembling a Climate Action Plan; maintaining and enhancing an extensive bike program with the Transy Bikes! shop and Broke Spoke, a local non-profit organization that provides knowledge and bikes to underprivileged people; community outreach; student involvement in sustainability, including helping manage student sustainability ambassadors; examine, catalog, and report sustainability related issues to PPD. There are several other academic internships that have focused on the social side of sustainability, including working with refugee families through with the Kentucky Refugee Ministries, event planning and grant writing with the United Way, helping teenage mothers graduate from high school through the Family Care Center, and working with Fayette County Public Schools on a variety of food and wellness related issues. The Office of Community Engagement has coordinated several sustainability-related immersive experiences in the past several years including service trips to Land Between the Lakes, a pre-orientation group focused on sustainability initiatives in Central Kentucky, and trips involving the social pillar with alternative spring breaks.