University of St. Thomas
EN-3: Student Life

The University of St. Thomas has several student groups that focus on sustainability.

Engineers for a Sustainable World- The mission of the UST chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World is to engage engineers in reducing waste and poverty by improving environmental, social, and economic sustainability worldwide by engaging in engineering projects which benefit communities which they are based in as well as raising awareness of the importance of engineering and its role in environmental, social, and political sustainability within our community.

Students for Justice & Peace- Students for Justice & Peace (SJP) is a club devoted to peace, equality, and recognition of human dignity. We work to create positive social change both globally and locally. We have weekly meetings where we gather together as individuals passionate about addressing many of today’s current issues, such as racism, the environment, mental health, women’s rights, homelessness and poverty, immigration, and more.

Sustainability Club- The Sustainability Club exists to challenge St. Thomas to be a more ecologically sound campus and to raise environmental awareness within our community, both on and off-campus. We strive to connect sustainability themes with a larger body of Tommies with a shared interest through events and volunteering.

Tommie Outdoors- The club aims to unite University of St. Thomas Students together around a shared love of nature and the common good. The main focus of the club will be to hold events that connect students with each other and nature through outdoor activities.

Environmental Law Society- The Environmental Law Society (ELS) seeks to increase understanding and disseminate information regarding environmental issues and the immediacy of their effects. The society acts to pursue creative, ethical and effective methods to address those issues regionally, nationally, and globally, while providing an exploration of careers in the field. ELS also offers many opportunities for direct environmental action within the local community and opportunities to hear about work in the field from current professionals.

The St. Thomas Stewardship Garden integrates teaching and student research projects across several academic departments, directly impacting >200 students each year. Founded in 2011, the garden currently covers 3/4 acre of land on the St. Paul campus. The garden serves as a research site for undergraduate-faculty collaborations, engaging around 8-10 undergraduate researchers per year, and currently supports classroom or lab activities that have been developed for many courses including: Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution (220 students/year); Introduction to Environmental Science (20 students/year); Environmental Problem Solving (16 students/year); Soils, Science, and Society (10 students/year); Emerging Infectious Diseases (12 students/year); Intensive Writing (10 students/year); and the Environmental Sustainability Theme-Based Learning Community (150 students/year).

The Stewardship Garden is also the basis for a $700,000 CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation awarded to Dr. Chip Small to study the effects of urban agriculture expansion and climate on nutrient cycling and loss in urban ecosystems. This is an on-going project, which began in Spring 2017. The following is a summary of this project to date (Nov 2023): This project investigated the fate of nutrients applied to urban gardens in the Twin Cities Metro Area (TCMA), documenting rates of recycling, accumulation, and export as leachate and runoff. The project’s Intellectual Merit focused on applying a mass-balance approach to nutrient recycling from compost addition in urban agriculture. Specific findings include: (1) TCMA gardeners and urban farmers apply on average 40x more phosphorus (P) compared to crop uptake; (2) Compost application to urban gardens constitutes one of the largest P inputs to urban landscapes, despite gardens constituting <0.5% of urban land area; (3) garden soil P loss through leachate increases over time due to application of compost P, with accumulation documented in native soil below garden plots; and (4) evapotranspiration is the dominant fate of water from supplemental irrigation, whereas rainfall inputs generate leachate and associated nutrient export. Broader Impacts included training for a postdoc, >60 undergraduate research students, 15 high school student researchers, and 2 K-12 science educators. Research findings have been shared through podcasts, a publication for K-12 educators, presentations to stakeholder groups (e.g., Ramsey County Master Gardeners, Minneapolis Food Council, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Minnesota Compost Council). Products include 10 papers published to date (including 6 with undergraduate co-authors). Data have been archived through, and highlighted by, Environmental Data Initiative.

Tommies Closet is a free clothing pop-up for St. Thomas students to shop. Tommies Closet was founded by Changemaking Fellows in 2021 and today is run by the Student Sustainability Leadership Program through the Office of Sustainability Initiatives.

Gently-used clothing is donated and added to Tommies Closet for students to “shop” for free. Tommies Closet opens as a pop-up throughout the academic year. Any remaining clothing that is left over when the closet closes is stored until the next pop-up.

October 2023
Interfaith Panel Discussion on Climate Change Action & Workshop on Crafting Your Climate Action Plan with Author Heidi Roop
A panel discussion on Climate Change Action, featuring esteemed representatives from diverse faith backgrounds, Dr. Heidi Roop, Katie McGinnis '23, and Aiesha Osman '23. Building on the inspiration and knowledge gained from the Interfaith Panel Discussion on Climate Change Action. Author Heidi Roop guided students through the process of crafting their own actionable plans to address climate change.

April 29, 2023
2023 Midwest Undergraduate Geography Symposium (MUGS)
The 2023 Midwest Undergraduate Geography Sympsium was hosted by the Geography Program and the Department of Earth, Environment and Society at the University of St. Thomas. The 2023 conference theme was Current Challenges and Future Landscapes.
https://cas.stthomas.edu/news-events/geography/midwest-undergraduate-geography-symposium/

April 17, 2023
Sustainability Trailblazing: A Conversation with Alumni
A panel of alumni with 2-15 years of post-college experience shared stories of how they integrate environmental sustainability into their personal and professional lives.

November 1, 2022
Business in a Digital World: Digital Solutions Supporting Circular Economy
St. Thomas alum, Dr. Jon Smieja, discussed the ins and outs of a circular economy. Dr. Phil Brown presented about how Netherlands based Circularise is developing blockchain based digital supply chain traceability systems.
https://business.stthomas.edu/opus-advantage/events/business-digital-world-circular-economy-fall2022/index.html

CHANGE
From the frigid Arctic to the tropical island of New Guinea, the Department of Art History Gallery and the American Museum of Asmat Art present a join exhibition, CHANGE, that considers the impact of climate change through an artistic lens.
On October 13, 2023 artist Sarah Nelson gave an artist talk with images from her journey to the arctic and shared her inspiration for the art on view.
https://cas.stthomas.edu/departments/areas-of-study/art-history/visual-arts/index.html

Power & Presence: Water in Asmat
This exhibition explores the many ways Asmat people engage with water. It considers how relationships between animals, humans, and the ancestors are formed around this natural resource and encourages museum visitors to consider their own connections with water.
https://www.theamaa.org/exhibitions

Reciprocal Relations
Reciprocal Relations speaks of the power our relationships hold and the value and respect we have for our past, present, and future ancestors. As contemporary representations of the Women from the Oceti Shakowin Oyate (People of the Seven Council Fires, colonially known as the Sioux Nation), Jaida Grey Eagle and Mikayla Patton’s work is rooted with a sense of resistance and survival, sharing histories that counter the many inauthentic narratives that abound. Upholding sustainability and embracing materials revered by past generations, every piece is a modern interpretation of Indigenous culture, a story told by a powerful voice that instructs us to listen and to learn.
https://ustartgallery.com/reciprocal-relations

VISION provides global community building opportunities for St. Thomas students, faculty, and staff to encounter and work alongside diverse communities that are dedicated to creating a more just world.

In March 2023, a VISION trip to Zion National Park engaged participants with land conservation, habitat restoration, and natural history. Students learned and followed the Leave No Trace principles during their visited. Participants also aided Zion Rangers in their Leave No Trace outreach with visitors, assisted the vegetation crew with invasive vegetation management, engaged in litter clean-ups, and enjoyed guided hikes to learn about the park's geology and wildlife.

The University undergraduate core curriculum requires first-year students to participate in a Theme-Based Learning Community (TBLC) or a Living Learning Community (LLC).

Students enrolled in a TBLC take two theme-based courses from different academic areas in the fall of their first year and are required to participate in out-of-class activities related to the theme throughout the term. The University offers "Enviornmental Sustainability and the Common Good" TBLC, as well as "Changemaking for the Common Good," "Human Well-Being [Flourishing] and the Common Good," and "Social Justice and Cultural Transformations for the Common Good" TBLCs.
More information about the Environmental Sustainability and the Common Good TBLC:
https://www.stthomas.edu/academics/core-curriculum/first-year-experience/

Students enrolled in an LLC live in specialized learning environments that help connect students in and out of the classroom. The Sustainability LLC engages students in hands-on activities to understand the complexity of key environmental themes and explore sustainable solutions. Students attend a camping trip and enroll in an enviornmental science or environmental studies course.
More information about the Sustainability LLC: https://www.stthomas.edu/residence-life/experience/living-learning-communities/sustainability-llc/index.html

St. Thomas has a Sustainability Living-Learning Community (LLC) through which students engage with community partners on projects and volunteer events that promote both environmental and social well-being. The LLC also provides intensive advising from sustainability faculty, social support through dedicated resident assistants with sustainability backgrounds who provide relevant programming, an extended orientation during which students become familiar with local sustainable resources (thrift shops) and various sustainable social opportunities.

In addition, the University's Student Sustainability Leadership Program (SSLP) supports peer-educators who engage with fellow students around sustainable life skills related to energy conservation, waste reduction, and multi-modal transportation.

The Student Sustainability Leadership Program (SSLP) is a student employment opportunity designed to prepare the next generation of environmental leaders by giving them hands-on experience with sustainability on campus and to increase student sustainability knowledge and action through peer-education. Student Sustainability Leaders bring hands-on education to the campus community through programs including educational workshops and events.

Off-Campus Student Life promotes multimodal transportation and habits -- and discourages off-campus students from bringing cars to campus -- in its annual Renter 101 and Student-Tenant Education Program.

The Global Justice Movement through CRS is a student led movement that connects national changemaking to global impact. Through awareness building, and advocacy action in partnership with CRS. CRS supports advocacy education, so students learn how to talk to elected representative at the capitol (in St. Paul or in D.C.)​. The Global Justice Movement at St. Thomas has hosted advocacy training and climate change education events that explore sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and community-driven initiatives.
More information about the Global Justice Movement: https://www.stthomas.edu/student-life/get-involved/civic-engagement/#:~:text=The%20Global%20Justice%20Movement%20through%20CRS%20is%20a,building%2C%20and%20advocacy%20action%20in%20partnership%20with%20CRS.