Have you ever made a solar-powered oven out of a cardboard box and plastic wrap? These students have!
The Environmental Sustainability Scholars Program (ESSP) is a scholarship designed for first-year students interested in connecting environmental sustainability with community equity.
Scholars take a 1-credit seminar that meets once a week where they explore campus, engage in local environmental efforts, and build a supportive community while learning how to put sustainable practices into action. The inaugural class features guest speakers, walking tours, field trips, case studies, and hands-on activities that use on-campus examples to connect course concepts with real-world applications.
Transcript
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The Environmental Sustainability Scholars Program (ESSP) is a scholarship designed for first-year students interested in connecting environmental sustainability with community equity.
Scholars take a one credit seminar, explore campus, and engage in local environmental efforts, building a supportive community while learning how to implement sustainable practices.
The seminar meets once a week and features guest speakers, walking tours, field trips, and case studies that use on-campus examples to connect course concepts with real-world applications. Students also teach their peers about a UW–Madison sustainability initiative with topics covering campus innovation, waste systems, and renewable energy.
Maya King: Hi, I’m Maya. I’m a conservation biology and environmental studies major. I joined ESSP because growing up, a big part of my childhood and my family’s culture was going hiking, camping, and just doing a lot of stuff in nature so it gave me a passion for the environment. And then throughout high school I was really involved in my school’s environmental programs and helped initiate some sustainability projects within my high school, and so coming here, I wanted to continue to be a part of a community of people who are very passionate about the environment.
Caroline Thavong: Hi, I’m Caroline Thavong. I’m an environmental studies and legal studies major. Taking this course was something that was really important to me. As well as something that just interested me because this course was also described as a course that was going to be smaller and in such a big school, it’s nice to have a class where I know everybody’s names. So, it’s really nice to have that sort of community that all cares about the same thing.
Sean Bowser: Hi, I’m Sean Bowser. I’m a chemical engineering major. I think it’s really exciting to do something fresh and new. Especially at a university this size. I really like the idea that I can sort of break off from the rest of my peers and really pave the way to do something new.
Kylee Griffin: Hi, I’m Kylee. I’m a polisci and environmental studies major. I think being the first group has a lot of great opportunities, including everything being so adaptable to what we want to learn. It’s very nice to have an opportunity to be in a program that isn’t as rigidly structured. It’s just been such a great opportunity to be able to learn from everyone and being able to sort of be the instructors. It’s all student-led, and I think it does have to do with us being the first group. But also, that’s a really positive thing, and I hope that that continues as the years go on.
