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Jeff Steuben and Katie Landeros are graduates of the Alliance’s Green Campus program, which hires undergraduate students as interns and empowers them to lead energy efficiency initiatives on campus while also providing them with the skills and knowledge needed for careers in energy efficiency. Here eNews speaks with Jeff and Katie – both recent hires of the Alliance to Save Energy – about their path to the green work force via Green Campus.
eNews: How did you get involved with Green Campus (GC)? What were some highlights from initiatives and projects you worked on as an intern?
Jeff Steuben: I got involved with GC because I was looking for a job. I had previously applied for a job with Green Schools [the Alliance’s K-12 education program], and didn't get it. I thought GC would be a good job since it fit in nicely with my major, Environmental Science. The project I'm most proud of from my time with Green Campus is the Office Audit Program, which I founded and which went on to be replicated across the GC system. The best project I worked on was filming and writing "The Phantom Hunter" video, which you can view at: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1962114299312442486
Katie Landeros: I heard about the opening for a GC Program Coordinator through the Career Services at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) before I transferred from Humboldt State University. As a director of an environmental education volunteer program at Humboldt, I was interested in environmental issues and sustainability. I came to UCSC with a passion for educating people and raising awareness about their impacts on the environment and the GC Program fit both of those passions.
The highlight of my intern experience was when the UCSC team was awarded Honorable Mention for Best Practices of Student Energy Efficiency at the UC/CSU/CCC Sustainability Conference 2008. The award recognized our team project that involved giving away about 3,225 compact fluorescent light bulbs in a one-month period of time in addition to a Mock Energy Bill program and my own Peer-to-Peer Energy Conservation Program.
eNews: What is your current role at the Alliance? What made you decide to come to work here?
JS: My job with the Alliance is to manage the GC Program. I'll be working with student interns on a few college campuses, tracking budgets, attending meetings, etc. GC feels like a big family to me, and it was a natural choice for me to continue doing what I love. Ultimately, I want to bridge the gap between the environmental movement and the general populace, but I haven't yet figured out how.
KL: I am joining the Alliance staff as a Program Associate for the Green Schools Program. I found the job posting on idealist.org and decided the position would be a perfect combination of my interests in youth education and natural resource conservation. I decided to join the Alliance for two main reasons. One is because I had worked with some of the staff through my time interning with GC and admired their hard work and dedication; I also became familiar with the great opportunities in energy efficiency and education that the Alliance has to offer. The other is because of the amazing benefits of the Green Schools program: students experience hands-on learning and educate themselves on how to conserve energy. Moreover, some of the money saved from the energy savings can go back to the school. What a terrific program, especially in times of budget cuts within the education system.
eNews: In what ways did your experience as a Green Campus intern prepare you (or not!) for the work you are doing now and for your career in general?
JS: The GC internship was my first job that mattered to my career, and it started me down a road of professionalism. It really helped me network with all the important people in the university systems, and learn all there is to know about energy. My experience with GC allowed me to step up and get another job with even higher levels of responsibility, which really gave me the skills to be where I am today.
KL: My experience as a GC intern prepared me professionally for the work I am doing now. I learned how to network effectively through attending the mid-year and end-of-year convergences. I also learned how to work as a team member, support my fellow interns and jump in where I am needed most. I learned how to be a leader, and work independently as well as in a team; I learned how to take initiative on projects. GC also helped me develop my writing skills through project proposals and evaluations, and my ability to manage budgets.
I am looking into future career paths in environmental planning and sustainable transportation after pursuing graduate school in Urban and Regional Planning.
eNews: Would you recommend the Green Campus program to students interested in 'green' careers?
JS: Of course! Green Campus remains the best program around to build your skill set and meet your potential future employers.
KL: I would definitely recommend the GC program to students interested in “green” careers. My experience with GC really improved my understanding of energy efficiency and was my first opportunity to build professional skills, which I did through working with a variety of stakeholders on campus and at other universities across the state.
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