Virginia Tech
ER-3: Sustainability in New Student Orientation

Beginning in 2009, sustainability has been prominently featured in New Student Orientation. The Office of Energy and Sustainability (OES) and the student group Environmental Coalition joined together to participate in the 2009 New Student Orientation Hokie Resource Fair, held from July 4-23. The Hokie Resource Fair introduced incoming freshman, transfer students, and their parents to Virginia Tech’s ongoing sustainability initiatives and sustainability-related student organizations on campus. The 2010 New Student Orientation was restructured to streamline the information provided to incoming students. Campus organizations and departments were invited to participate in Gobblerfest, which occurs the Friday of the first week of the fall semester, instead of the Hokie Resource Fair. Gobblerfest 2010 is a welcome festival for students, staff, faculty, and community members to learn more about Virginia Tech and the Town of Blacksburg community, find ways to get involved with student organizations, volunteer opportunities, campus events, and what local businesses have to offer. OES had a booth at Gobblerfest to promote Virginia Tech’s ongoing sustainability initiatives and sustainability-related student organizations on campus. To view pictures from the event please see: http://facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/images/gobblerfest_pics.pdf To ensure that sustainability was still prominently featured in the 2010 New Student Orientation events, OES partnered with the Student Government Association (SGA) to train the 2010 New Student Orientation Leaders about the importance of sustainability at Virginia Tech, the ongoing sustainability initiatives, and ways that new students could get involved. Additionally, the 2010 SGA president, Bo Hart, included remarks about sustainability in his speech during New Student Orientation. For a photo of the 2010 New Student Orientation Leaders with Denny Cochrane, OES Sustainability Program Manager please visit: http://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/nso_leaders.jpg For 2011, OES again partnered with the SGA to prominently feature sustainability throughout the New Student Orientation events. OES trained the New Student Orientation Leaders about sustainability on campus and provided the Leaders with a Sustainability Guide to assist them in relaying sustainability-related information to the incoming students. The 2011 SGA President, Corbin Dimeglio, also included remarks about campus sustainability in his speech during orientation. OES also participated in Gobblerfest 2011, For a photo of the 2011 New Student Orientation Leaders with Angie De Soto, OES Campus Sustainability Planner please visit: http://facilities.vt.edu/documents/sustainability/unlinked/New_Student_Orientation_Student_Leaders%202011_002.pdf For 2012, OES again partnered with the SGA to prominently feature sustainability throughout the New Student Orientation events and participated in Gobblerfest 2012. For more information about sustainability in New Student Orientation, including the "Sustainability Guide for New Students" that is provided to the New Student Orientation leaders, please see the OES events page: http://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/events.asp