Student engagement opportunities in USM’s Office of Sustainability are open to all students, regardless of major. We see every major and every industry having a role to play in helping to tackle the major ecological challenges of our time, such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, potable water shortages and food supply shortages.
All of our opportunities are geared toward helping students earn professional skills doing real sustainability work that will help them get good jobs after graduation.
Our opportunities include:
- Eco-reps: Eco-Reps are interns, work-study students, or volunteers who research interesting environmental challenges, issues, and concepts, while teaching environmentally-conscious behaviors to members of the University community. Eco-Reps report to one of the full-time staff members in the Sustainability Program. Projects include recycling & waste reduction, biking & alternative transportation, alternative energy & energy conservation, greenhouse gas emissions & climate change, pollution & stormwater, and sustainable landscaping. If you are a current or incoming student, you may read more about the program and apply in the My USM Portal here.
- Graduate Assistants: Graduate Assistantships are typically 10-hour per week, paid positions that help with greenhouse gas calculations and/or sustainable transportation. Learn more about current openings by contacting the Graduate Studies Program.
- Co-curriculuar Work with Classes: We partner with professors in Food Studies, Environmental Science & Policy, Tourism & Hospitality, Sociology, Business, Engineering, the Muskie School of Public Service, and other programs to work on real-world sustainability challenges using a team approach. These partnerships provide students with invaluable experience designing, researching, planning and implementing solutions.
- Mentoring: Whether you take on one of the formal roles above, or just come to us seeking guidance, we are serious about helping you. Therefore, we are willing to help mentor any student project that’s related to sustainability, at any level and within any major.
Regardless of how you interact with our Office of Sustainability, your professional development is our number one goal. We have an excellent track record of helping students land meaningful jobs to advance their careers.