Arizona State University
EN-1: Student Educators Program

USP’s Program Assistants are responsible for creating, researching, and implementing sustainability projects on Arizona State University campuses in support of ASU’s sustainability goals: Climate Neutrality, Zero Waste (solid/water waste), Principled Practice, and Active Engagement. Program Assistants go through an orientation process and are trained throughout their experience by the USP staff and are occasionally mentored and supported by ASU faculty. Funding support is provided by the USP budget as well as the Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund. Students lead education and outreach efforts that target the entire ASU student population. The Program Assistants hold a variety of events and activities in a variety of locations on all ASU campuses to ensure access. These events include: Caught Green Handed: Students ride green sustainability bikes around campus and reward students that they catch doing sustainability actions. Walk the Green Carpet: Students ask fellow students to “walk the green carpet” and share their commitment to sustainability publicly. Community Gardening: Students educate fellow students about gardening. ASU has several gardens on a couple campuses. Students in Residence Halls are targeted directly when the Program Assistants set up their events and activities in the residence hall communities. The Assistants also support Aramark’s Weigh the Waste program that targeted all students that dine in the ASU dining halls on all campuses. Students educate each other about the amount of food that goes to waste. The Assistants also organize and implement Campus Sustainability Week.

Potential University Sustainability Practices Program Assistants are asked to submit resumes and then undergo a thorough interview process. Candidates are selected based on skills, matched interest levels, compatibility and needs of the department.

All University Sustainability Practices Program Assistants go through Arizona State University's student orientation and take all pertinent safety classes such as “driving on the mall” for vehicle use as needed. The Program Assistants also undergo a mentoring process with the Director of University Sustainability Practices and other staff members of the department. They meet weekly to set goals and track progress with their manager.

University Sustainability Practices staff provide oversight to the Program Assistants as needed. Each assistant is paid an hourly wage. Program and event marketing and supply needs are funded through department funds and Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund grants.

The School of Sustainability Ambassadors are a group of student leaders who assist the School of Sustainability with recruitment and retention activities. They provide the face and voice of the student at a variety of recruitment events, both at ASU and in the greater community. They volunteer at a several large SOS programs, including undergraduate Fall Welcome, Family Weekend, Homecoming, Night of the Open Door, and the Sustainability Solutions Festival. They assist with New Student Orientation. The primary focus of the School of Sustainability Student Ambassadors is on prospective students and their families; they may interact with several hundred people through recruitment events. They provide leadership services to about 60 new students each year at Fall Welcome and Camp SOS.

All returning SOS students are invited to apply to the program and answer some application questions. Candidates traditionally have an informal one-on-one interview with the program adviser and then participate in a group interview process with other candidates and returning Ambassadors. Final selections are made by the program adviser.

Ambassadors have an initial training prior to the start of the school year to review expectations and provide information on the School of Sustainability. They also have a weekly class meeting where ongoing training and support of recruitment functions is provided.

Each member of the SOS Ambassadors is provided with a polo shirt and name tag for use when representing the school. The School of Sustainability also provides funds for a spring learning trip, for the Ambassadors to visit a city and connect with Sustainability leaders from business. The program is supported by the School of Sustainability.

The Zero Waste Ambassador Program fosters both a culture of zero waste through leadership development of ASU student organizations via peer to peer education, as well as provides student organizations additional sources of funding. Student organizations register to participate in pre-determined ZW Ambassador opportunities and, in exchange for their completed service, are awarded funding for use within their organization. Outreach activities include; bin guarding at staff BBQ, and various athletic events.

1. Opportunities are posted onto SunDevilSync- the platform all student organizations use to register and promote organization and activites 2. Organizations complete a form through SunDevilSync 3. Organizations are selected based on the order in which the forms are submitted 4. The organization completes the agreed upon service and in exchange the organization is awarded funding directly from the Zero Waste Department, typically the funding is $500/opportunity with a max of 15 individuals per opportunity. Opportunities range from 3-4 hours in length.

Before each opportunity the organization receives the service checklist via email with the criteria the Zero Waste Department uses to verify the service. Ambassadors meet with a representative of the Zero Waste department prior to the opportunity to receive an overview on the expected service. Upon completion of service the Zero Waste Department attend a general meeting of the organization to provide an overview of the university Zero Waste goal and to discuss opportunities for the organization to incorporate zero waste practices into their organization (this is changing this year. The presentation and training will be combined and will take place before the service opportunity)

The Zero Waste Ambassador program is funded through the Zero Waste Department which provides the monies for the organizations. The funds are dispersed to the organizations through the Educational Outreach and Student Services through their Student Organizations and Programming office.

Walk-only zone ambassadors, Changemaker, Wellness Ambassadors

Susan Norton