Virginia Tech
IN-24: Innovation A

The Student Sustainability Leadership Forums begin in the fall of 2015 as a way to bring together leaders from student organizations to meet with Virginia Tech offices as well as offices from the greater New River Valley. The shared goal of these organizations--to extend sustainability initiatives in the community--would be empowered by their ability to work closely with one another. The first forum in the fall served as an introduction. Each organization provided a 2-5min presentation of their organization's main goals and initiatives for the year such that other organizations would know who they could most easily partner with. The second forum, which took place in the spring of 2016 would have the specific goal of collaborating on Earth Week 2016. Through this initiative Earth Week 2016 became the largest and most well attended Virginia Tech had seen. The events planned by the groups were done so in a collaborative manner such that each individual event could be created with more man power and to a greater quality. Not only that but a larger quantity of events were put on and spaced such that they would not interfere with one another's attendance. This forum and Earth Week event were seen in such a positive light from students that an increase in the frequency of forums was requested by the participating student leaders. Thus starting in the Fall of 2016 two forums were held each semester. Since the groups already knew each other, the first forum of the 2016-2017 school year was dedicated to introducing the organizations to the new freshmen at the university. New students were advertised to through a group effort at another event (Gobblerfest) and were then presented to by all the sustainability organizations at one convenient location and time. Thus garnering new members for these organizations. The second forum of the semester was used to learn about and brainstorm marketing and advertising techniques. Then in the spring two forums were dedicated to Earth Week 2017 planning. The first was used to determine events and partnerships. The second to ensure all booking and remaining advertising was in order. Through the forums Earth Week 2017 saw 20+ organizations help in the planning and advertising of its 30+ events.