University of New Hampshire
EN-3: Student Life

Students have a tremendous selection of sustainability student organizations on campus: http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/studentorgs. Examples include but are not limited to the following: Organic Garden Club, Artists Circle, ChildVoice International, Circle K, Diversity Support Coalition, Earth Science Club, Eaton House, Energy Club, Forestry Club, Habitat for Humanity, Mask and Dagger Dramatic Society, Model UN, NH Outing Club, Oxfam UNH, Peace and Justice League, Project Sunshine, Real Food UNH, Relay for Life, STAND, Student Arts Association, Student Environmental Action Council (SEAC), Student Nutrition Association, Students Advocating Gender Equality, Students Without Borders, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Club, UNH for ONE, UNH Slow Food, WildACTS Social Change Theatre Troupe, Trash-2-Treasure, and the Wildlife Society.

The UNH Organic Garden Club (OGC) is a student-run organization established in 2003. The OGC maintains a two-acre farm on the Campus-Community Farm, a 30-acre USDA certified organic site. In the winter of 2004, OGC collaborated with UNH's Students Without Borders to secure a $10,000 grant from the UNH Parent’s Association to create the “built” components of the farm site, including drip irrigation and a shed. The first growing season was the spring/summer of 2004. Crops harvested at the site are purchased by UNH Dining Services and sold at a weekly UNH Durham campus farm stand during the growing season. In 2007, OGC was voted Student Organization of the Year, and the Durham Community Dinners won Best Community Project of the Year. OGC also hosts free community dinners at the Waysmeet Center every 2nd Friday of the month with produce while in season and with produce from local farms at other times of the year.

The Atkins Investment Group is a completely student-managed investment fund at UNH's Peter T Paul College of Business & Economics, overseeing approximately $100,000 in long-equity positions. The group, which is open to all majors and concentrations, is comprised of thirty-five students ranging from sophomores to seniors that are responsible for making all investment decisions. Student members are provided with a unique opportunity to learn about active investing and portfolio management. In 2013, the Group began managing a Socially Responsible Fund.

UNH houses many sustainability events. Examples include: The Student Environmental Action Coalition holds a number of events every year around various topics, including SolarFest in the spring. PLAN's Zero Waste Conference: UNH has been the host of the PostLandfill Action Network's annual conference for two years. The Zero Waste Conference brings faculty, staff, and students from around the country who are interested in sustainability. More information can be found here: http://www.postlandfill.org/ Local Harvest Feast: Held each September, the Local Harvest Feast is a day of fine dining on mouth-watering creations served at all three dining halls and produced from local foods. Open to the public and students alike, this hugely popular event is a chance for attendees to learn why supporting local agriculture and food producers is so important. Attendees have the opportunity to meet various local producers and browse their presentation tables before or after dinner: http://www.unh.edu/dining/community/local-harvest.html Environmental Sciences Seminar Series. The Environmental Sciences Seminar Series is sponsored by the NRESS Ph.D. Program, the Department of Earth Sciences, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Environmental Research Group, the Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space (EOS), and often the Sustainability Institute. http://www.unh.edu/nressphd/environmental-sciences-seminar-series Organic Agriculture Seminar Series. The College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA) each spring hosts lectures focused on sustainable agriculture. Seminars range from “Wheat for Local and Sustainable Systems” to “Sustainable Agriculture in a Post-Industrial World.” https://colsa.unh.edu/nhaes/article/2017/02/seminarseries

The Dept. of Theatre and Dance, the Museum of Art, the Sustainability Institute, and the Discovery Program, often collaborate to sponsor sustainability-related cultural events. Examples include "Rise: Climate Change in Our World," a collaborative exhibition devoted to the theme of climate change and “Land, Sea, and Space, " a student designed and created mural in Dimond Library. Links to examples: http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2016/10/climate-change-show-features-art-faculty-staff-students-and-alumni http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2017/04/picture-worth-150-years

All UNH outdoor programs are grounded in “Leave No Trace” principles. Student leaders are trained in these principles through the Outdoor Education department. They then practice the principles and educate their peers in best practices. The New Hampshire Outing Club (NHOC) is the oldest and largest club at UNH and is run by UNH students. NHOC practices sustainability and follows “Leave No Trace” principles. NHOC typically offers 2-5 trips each weekend throughout the year including hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, trail maintenance, cross country/downhill skiing, canoeing, biking, ice climbing, kayaking, road trips, and extreme sledding. https://wildcatlink.unh.edu/organization/nhoc UNH’s Outdoor Education Program follows Leave No Trace guidelines and has for the past 20+ years. There is 1 Leave No Trace trainer on the staff and Outdoor Education students take a LNT course as part of the KIN 682 course. UNH offers undergraduate, masters, and Ph.D. programs in outdoor education. A Leave No Trace statement is on the Outdoor Education homepage: http://chhs.unh.edu/kin_oe

The UNH Discovery Program facilitates a theme throughout the year to focus community events and conversations on an area of broad interest a big question or an enduring problem requiring the efforts and knowledge of multiple disciplines and perspectives. Topics have included globalization, energy, health, democracy, poverty, water and more. All events are held on campus and open to the public.

UNHSI offers sustainability tips for students: http://sustainableunh.unh.edu/sites/sustainableunh.unh.edu/files/images/UNHSI_Flyer_students_revised_2.pdf Students are also encouraged to take classes like Sustainability Living and Systems Thinking.

Students can work on sustainability across UNH - from research opportunities with faculty to internships at the Sustainability Institute. UNHSI often hires 4-6 student interns per year to helps with data collection and reporting, communications, etc., including three outreach interns that work as a cohort. The Sustainability Institute is also home to a national sustainability fellows program, a competitive program that has students from UNH and across the country working on climate solutions at municipalities, non-profits, government agencies, and more each summer. http://www.sustainableunh.unh.edu/sustainability-fellows. The Carsey Institute Social Innovation Internships give students the opportunity work for organizations on and off campus on social responsibility and innovation projects. http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/csif/social-innovation-internship

UNHSI partners with a number of on and off campus offices on curricular activities. Many of these activities vary depending upon current events and campus initiatives. One co-curriuclar activity is the Social Venture Innovation Challenge, for which UNHSI is a co-host.