Working together to develop innovative solutions
to the most pressing issues of our time
The Sustainability Internship and Community Resource Department empowers students as change makers. Through the Department, students develop partnerships between community members, campus staff, faculty, and other students to imagine and launch innovative new programs that help our community and campus move towards a more environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable world.
With your support
Every gift makes a difference. $7,000 funds a one year, 4 quarter paid internship. Students develop and seek feedback on proposals, develop feasibility studies, engage additional partners, and propose implementation plans based on guidance from community and campus stakeholders and the Sustainability Internship and Community Resource Department. The Department supports students throughout the process, working in partnership with community members, campus staff, faculty, and other students to identify community ideas, needs, and challenges. Students receive mentorship on how to be effective changemakers, how to build strong partnerships, and gain career skills. As a result, a variety of services are offered to on-campus and off-campus partners such as support in engaging the student body, collaborative grant-writing, identification of existing resources, and organization of joint programming, especially where our students can engage in the effort.
Stories of Impact
Our student body consistently provides innovative new ideas, valuable perspectives, and thoughtful critiques, and when given mentorship, training, opportunities to be heard, and a seat at the table, our students accomplish extraordinary things! Here are just a few recent examples:
EcoCommuting Innovators
Through the UC Bonnie Reiss Leading on Climate Action Fellowship, students advised the campus on how best to lower greenhouse gas emissions related to commuting and business travel by conducting a thorough study of institutional best practices. They interviewed program leads from around the country and presented these best practices to the UCSB Sustainable Transportation Committee and the Chancellor’s Campus Sustainability Committee. These committees prioritized the recommendations and gave guidance to the fellows on which practices to incorporate in UCSB’s Climate Action Plan. In the 2025-2026 school year, fellows will build on this work by launching pilot programs for the most shovel-ready projects.
Rethinking Our Purchases
Two sustainability interns from the department worked closely with UCSB’s Sustainable Procurement Program Manager and Lead Author for the UCSB Climate Action Plan to develop methodologies to collect baseline data for the purchase of paper, cleaning chemicals, and electronics. Measuring and managing emissions in purchasing is particularly difficult due to the lack of standardized reporting mechanisms and the often complex and unclear supply chains associated with purchases. Within each of these areas, these sustainability interns also identified key opportunities to reduce the emissions related to our purchases and presented their findings to both UCSB and UCOP procurement staff.
Take Back the Tap
The Take Back the Tap program works to encourage students to engage and share their voice in their local water district, builds trust in the local tap water system, and work to reduce single use plastics by encouraging students to use reusable water bottles. The Sustainability Intern hired by Take Back the Tap hosted forums with the Goleta Water District on access to clean water, stirring discussion about our tap water and common myths while encouraging students to build their own knowledge on tap water.
Join us in making a positive difference in our community
To engage with the program as either a student or partner, contact Katie Maynard, Director of Student Sustainability
Initiatives at kcmaynard@ucsb.edu
To make a contribution in support of the Department or any of its giving opportunities, contact Delene Bliss , Senior Director of Development at delenebliss@ucsb.edu or Office: (805) 893-6002, or Mobile: (805) 708-4101