Carnegie Mellon University
EN-1: Student Educators Program

The Student College (StuCo) has provided opportunities for Carnegie Mellon students to design and teach courses since 2001. More than 13,000 students have participated in a peer-taught class. Many of these credit-bearing classes focus on sustainability-related topics: gender identity, personal wellbeing, cultural awareness, meaningful employment, effective educational methods and environmental issues. Each semester there is typically at least one course focused on the built environment and sustainability. For example, Planning Pawnee: Principles in Parks and Recreation, students analyze key environmental characteristics in the fictitious city and look at fundamental necessities and the social implications of urban design and construction, with a focus on improving the relationship between the built world and the environment. The "Sense and Sustainability" course is designed to introduce students to what they can do as individuals to preserve our planet. This course is meant to provide a comprehensive overview of all things environmental, so that students can understand and take action for themselves and future generations.

StuCo is an educational organization involving hundreds of students at Carnegie Mellon University. The Student College was established in 2001 to provide Carnegie Mellon students with the opportunity to share knowledge through educational, self-designed courses. Students can teach classes on any topic of their choice. However, the course cannot be available through regular University offerings. Student instructors and enrolled students receive academic credit for their work.

Courses typically meet once a week (for a full semester) and follow the current Carnegie Mellon academic calendar.

CMU students are eligible to teach StuCo courses and to join the Executive Committee that governs StuCo. The StuCo Executive Committee is comprised of the Officers and Members At Large. StuCo is governed by this committee along with faculty advisors. Student teachers are not financially compensated for teaching the courses.

Several student organizations seek to educate others about topics related to the the full range of UN sustainability goals (list attached to this submittal). Some that specifically address environmental sustainability are described below and their membership is included in the count above. That count does not reflect the total count of students in all sustainability-related student organizations. Sustainable Earth aims to encourage Carnegie Mellon University and the Pittsburgh Community to actively practice ways of living sustainability. We also aim to network with other organizations, on and off-campus, who are interested in strengthening environmental initiatives in Pittsburgh. We organize participatory community events and volunteer activities open to all, such as: trips to local sites of interest to learn or volunteer; work days in the community garden we maintain; a campaign to reduce the use of bottled water (and other plastic waste) on campus; a campaign to promote and introduce more local, sustainable, organic food options on campus; a campaign for alternative energy systems on campus; a campaign to divest from Fossil Fuel: our sustainable design and build group's projects; trips to national conferences and competitions; and other activities that educate the campus and Pittsburgh Community. Student Chapter of American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) has the main goal of raising awareness on issues of air quality and climate change. We are mainly students, both graduate and undergraduate, that conduct research on the aerosols of air pollution and the effects humans have on the earth's climate through emissions of aerosols. Design for America a group of interdisciplinary students that collaborate with local Pittsburgh community organizations to design and engineer solutions for social good. Environment & Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Graduate Student Chapter at CMU mission is to develop CMU students’ professional skills in the fields of sustainability and water resources engineering, help CMU students get access to environmental engineering professional network at Pittsburgh, and improve communication between EWRI Pittsburgh chapter and CMU. Global Water Brigades, a student lead organization aimed at fundraising and volunteering for improving water infrastructures in underdeveloped communities. We travel to these countries, empowering communities and working along side them to bring fresh water.

In most cases the students self-select to participate in the organizations which enable them to share their expertise with others while also learning from others who are involved in the efforts to educate others about a variety of topics related to sustainability.

The student leaders of each organization prepare the new volunteers to educate other through a variety of methods including formal presentations, intern-like experiences where they work with more experienced volunteers and through written information. Each organization also has an advisor who may be a faculty or staff member of the university and these individuals share expertise with the group.

Student organizations submit a budget to use student activities fee funds to support their work. Student government approves and monitors spending of the groups. As mentioned above, the faculty or staff advisor who is assigned to the organization also helps to monitor / assist with business decisions related to spending funds. Examples of budget totals from FY 18 student organizations budgets include: Sustainable Earth budget = $3070; Environment and Water Resources Institute = $1,000; and Global Water Brigades = $3,700.

Please see attached file for list of sustainability-related student organizations and the UN Goal(s) they serve.