University of Nevada Las Vegas
EN-1: Student Educators Program

This internship program provides students a chance to engage in campus sustainability issues. The primary interns cater around the issue of water and the reduction of plastic water bottles at the university. During the fall of 2013, the Reduction Plan of Plastic Water Bottles was approved and highlighted as a university goal and therefore gave access to the possibility of having more interns around this issue. These interns are either directly related to the UNLV Take Back the Tap campaign or work with the student group. The UNLV Take Back the Tap campaign is a student organization on campus. They dedicate their time to educating the campus and larger community on the issue of plastic water bottles. These students work with the interns around the water initiative largely because the Take Back the Tap campaign was the motivating source to create that internship program at UNLV. All of these students work together to make awareness events on campus and visit classrooms on campus to educate further. The interns are responsible for educating the campus community about the 50+ hydration stations on campus through the web site updates, tabling events, placards, and special event coordination. They created a video to highlight the hydration station and the fact that Rebels are Refilling. Another major area focused by interns are those catering around the topic of waste reduction and recycling. Currently there are two interns concentrating on compost education, specifically post-consumer compost collection, greening special events and greening the office environment. A video was created for orientation about how to participate in the student union's post consumer compost collection and recycling program.

The UNLV Take Back the Tap campaign selects a Campus Coordinator based on the necessary qualifications to lead the campaign. Usually, the Campus Coordinator will also be a university intern focusing on water efficiency and plastic water bottle waste reduction at UNLV. The sustainability internships focus on various topics such as composting, community gardens, plastic reduction, water, green certificate programs, and STARS. The sustainability internship program is not limited to the above listed and new internships are formed every semester when applicable. The interns apply for the internship and are therefore selected based on their qualifications and desire for the cause. The UNLV Sustainability Coordinator plays a major role in selecting all of the interns mentioned.

The interns meet weekly with the UNLV Sustainability Coordinator for guidance on their selected projects.

The Office of Finance & Business and Board of Regents at UNLV funds the sustainability internships. Consolidated Students of the University of Nevada (CSUN) provide funds for resources for initiatives on campus. The Nevada Board of Regents has a Regents Service Program that funds interns.

The UNLV Dining Sustainability Intern acts as a campus liaison between the university and the dining services. They play an active role in engaging the campus with various awareness events and collaborates with student organizations to make a bigger impact. A monthly Sustainability Newsletter is published monthly.

The intern applies for the program and then goes through an application process through ARAMARK.

The intern works closely with other sustainability interns/coordinators found in other schools to gain pointers. When an intern decides to move on, they are the recommended choice to then train the new person filling the position.

Aramark has a sustainability fund that finances the internship program.

This is the sustainability liaison for the Residence Halls. This provides students living in the Residence Halls the opportunity to learn more about sustainability. This program also sponsors several engaging activities to encourage sustainability practices among the residents. The Office of Housing and Residential Life (HRL) implemented a sustainability initiative where they have a sustainability advocate for each of the four residential complexes. Four advocates put on passive programs in each Residence Hall. Zero waste is one main objective at the housing and residential life events. Each complex has put on programs such as tips on how to be sustainable in the Residence Halls, showing comparisons between the cost of water bottles to gas, and creating posters that encourage residents the recycle. Ambassadors also teamed up with Rebel Recycling and Aramark to do a water bottle trade event where students trade ten plastic single-use water bottles for a nice reusable water bottle. This successful event collected 3114 plastic water bottles to recycle. The Sustainability Advocate position is a leadership position that promotes sustainability in the Residence Halls. They do so by actively educating students and staff through programming and passively educating students through marketing. Sustainability Advocates also build connections with campus organizations such as Rebel Recycling, which facilitate sustainability education. Ultimately, Sustainability Advocates will set the stage to develop and implement an education program to make Campus Housing practices more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

The advocates are selected through an application process. UNLV's Housing and Residential Life team up with knowledgeable campus facilities such as Rebel Recyling and Aramark and student organizations that focus on topics of sustainability. Advocates must possess general leadership, communication, and innovative skills. Advocates must show that they are passionate about recycling and sustainability (or a strong interest to get involved with sustainability).

There had been no formal training of our advocates. Advocates must attend monthly meetings with other Sustainability Advocates and adviser to assess goals, brainstorm, and learn more about sustainability and general marketing skills.

We currently have been using whatever funds Aramark has and soon we will be reaching out to CSUN for some funding of things that will help us with the efforts. An extra stipend of $50 per month as long as they are in the meeting the requirements of the position and are actively engaged.

UNLVolunteers creates a fun, social atmosphere for students to plan and participate in service projects that benefit our community. The mission of UNLVolunteers is to encourage civic engagement and positive social change by providing and promoting meaningful service opportunities and service-learning experiences for UNLV students, faculty, and staff. UNLVolunteers plans programs centered on the following impact areas: Hunger and Homelessness, Education and Youth, Environment, Health, and General Programs (since not every service program fall under the other four areas).

Student educators must apply for positions, interview, and then they are selected.

The formal training involves how to approach other students/volunteers, using gender neutral language, being able to research on related topics, and listening training.

Student educators are paid minimum wage.