In 2010, the Eco-Rep program was founded at Florida State University to learn about environmental advocacy and serve the campus and local Tallahassee community. This peer-to-peer education program engages students with a passion for sustainability and environmental wellness in monthly meetings and campus events, allowing them to build their leadership skills and education in environmentalism. 

“Being an Eco-Rep provides students with the resources to make a difference in the environment on an individual level and to be able to share that with the rest of the campus,” said Nia Ogletree, the current Eco-Rep Student Coordinator at Sustainable Campus. 

Opportunities like this work to connect students with other students and resources that align with their passion for making a difference while opening them up to new ideas. Sustainability cannot be accomplished through one solution, and learning to think creatively prepares the Eco-Reps for tackling change. 

“I’ve learned that you must keep an open mind when discussing different topics. If you don’t have an open mind you won’t be able to take in different viewpoints. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned is that there can be multiple answers and opinions about things,” said Ella Lenhart, a member of the Fall ‘23 Eco-Rep cohort. 

The conversations and education that Eco-Reps engage in cover all angles of sustainability. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) guide the educational foundation of the program, working to help students recognize that sustainability is multidimensional and connected to all aspects of life.

“When I first joined Eco-Reps I was hoping to learn more of what I can do to play my part in helping the environment, but after learning about the 17 SDGs it has expanded. Now my goal in Eco-Reps is to take a component of each of them and incorporate them in my own life, as well as show others how they can incorporate each of the SDGs in their life to create a more sustainable society overall because it starts with us,” said Victoria Montalvo, a member of the Fall ‘23 Eco-Rep cohort. 

Outside of campus, Eco-Reps have the opportunity to connect with sustainability professionals in different careers. This way they can gain more insight into possible career options and ways to continue making an impact after they leave FSU. 

“We did a solar farm tour and talked to really knowledgeable people about sustainable energy. It was fun to meet passionate people who saw that college kids wanted to learn more! We got to go in the gates and everything, and talked to an employee of the company that built the solar panels. We learned a lot about the cost of solar energy, and how it might seem drastic in the beginning but how it can pay off, and how it’s paying off in terms of the environment too,” said Lenhart. 

Serving as an Eco-Rep also connects students to more opportunities to further sustainability efforts on campus. Through gaining leadership experience and professional connections within this role, Eco-Reps are strong candidates for other professional development opportunities.

“I learned about the Sustainability Fellowship through Eco-Reps, and will now be a Fellow in the Spring semester! I have the chance to do independent research and work with other people dedicated to solving the energy crisis. I hope to make change through that research and connecting with others,” said Gabriella Mohammed, a member of the Fall ‘23 Eco-Reps cohort and a Spring ‘24 Sustainability Fellow. 

After a semester of environmental education and conversations, the Eco-Reps have become better acquainted with different topics in the wide spectrum of sustainability. For their final presentations, they have the opportunity to pick any topic related to these concepts and connect them to the Sustainable Development Goals. Presentations ranged from the topics of clean energy, to responsible consumption, to sustainability wellness.

“My final project topic was inspired by a project about consumerism that I did in high school, but back then I looked at it from the social and psychological side of things. It was fun to revisit the problem to look at it through a sustainable lens to look at the impact of it,” said Sabrina Clark, a Fall ‘23 Eco-Rep. 

Having the opportunity to present not only allows the students to share about subjects they are passionate about, but develop their skills in public outreach and communicating educational topics.

“It was a little nerve-wracking at first because I had never before presented this research to knowledgeable people on the subject. I liked getting to talk about something I genuinely care about, and express my feelings and ideas to people who may not know,” said Clark.

As we move into the Spring semester, Sustainable Campus is excited to welcome a new cohort of Eco-Reps! While their mission stays the same, each semester offers unique and exciting opportunities for the cohort to engage in. 

“I'm really excited for this semester since Earth Month and World Water Day fall during the Spring term. We’re looking forward to planning some interesting events, and engaging our campus in sustainability as much as possible and more than ever before,” said Ogletree. 

Stay tuned this semester to hear more about what our Eco-Reps have accomplished, and how to get involved in the coming semesters!