Hands-on Learning Opportunities

UNE’s Eco-Rep work-study program advances awareness of campus environmental concerns and initiatives through peer education and leadership and encourages environmentally responsible behavior of campus residents, commuters, faculty, and professional staff. Positions are available during the school year and in the summer.

What Eco-Reps Do

Eco-Reps are integrally involved in developing and implementing communications strategies and doing the work of the programs managed by the Office of Sustainability, including programs concerning:

• Waste reduction
• Alternative transportation
• Energy conservation
• Greenhouse gas emissions accounting
• Edible Campus Initiative
• Sustainable landscaping

Day-to-day tasks may include:

• Weeding campus gardens
• Transporting recyclable materials across campus
• Staffing informational tables
• Distributing posters and newsletters
• Writing blog articles or posting on social media
• Entering greenhouse gas emissions data
• Interacting with campus groups, such as student organizations, Environmental Council, Carbon Monitoring Task Force, and Planetary Health Council

Eco-Reps meet weekly to update all members on activities, share resources, brainstorm, and troubleshoot.

What Eco-Reps Have

• Effective written and oral communication skills 
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Ability to see projects through to completion
• Ability to learn about environmental topics and relate the information to peers
• Motivational quality to engage peers through their passion for the environment and UNE
• Enthusiasm and creativity
• Strong work ethic

What Eco-Reps Will Get

• Professional and leadership development
• Knowledge of environmental topics 
• Experience and support of working with and support from other passionate students
• Connections to and working knowledge of University groups (i.e. Carbon Monitoring Task Force, Earth’s ECO, Environmental Council, Facilities Management, Residence Life, and Sustainability Office)
• Work-study hourly rate (state of Maine minimum wage)
• Opportunity to have a stellar career recommendation written at completion of year
• Opportunity to have a lasting impact on fellow students and the UNE community!

To Apply

Apply through UNE’s Handshake platform and send an email of interest to Alethea Cariddi, assistant director of Sustainability, at acariddi@une.edu.

Sustainability internships are available for credit (through the CAS Internship Office), without pay, during the academic year and for credit, with pay, during the summer (mid-May to late August). 

What Sustainability Interns Do

Interns will assist the assistant director of Sustainability with the following: 

• Maintenance of the rain garden, honeybee hives, campus integrated pest management plants, and mosquito control project
• Coordination of the community garden
• Collection and analysis of UNE’s environmental indicators
• Creation of educational and publicity materials for sustainability initiatives and engagementing in related communications activities, such as social media posting
• Assistance with sustainability Trailblazer orientation events
• Development of energy conservation and Edible Campus Initiative projects
• Assistance with recycling program as needed
• Data entry for greenhouse gas emissions inventory

 What Sustainability Internships Have

• Good communication skills 
• Computer proficiency  
• Ability to work independently 
• Good organizational skills 
• Enthusiasm about environmental sustainability 
• Ability to drive University vehicles (must have license for two years and be 19 years or older)

What Sustainability Interns Will Get

• Somewhat flexible schedule
• Variety of indoor and outdoor duties
• Coaching on and experience with multiple sustainability initiatives
• Written communication skills practice
• The chance to make a difference in the community and the world

To Apply

Email Alethea Cariddi, assistant director of Sustainability, at acariddi@une.edu and/or contact PJ Lassek in the CAS Internship Office at plassek@une.edu or (207) 602-2597.

Sustainability Citizenship Projects

There are a variety of sustainability-related projects in which CAS students may engage in order to fulfill the civic engagement component (volunteer hours) of the Citizenship Seminar graduation requirement. Examples of such projects include:

• Performing beach cleanups
• Maintaining the rain garden
• Maintaining honeybee hives and performing associated youth outreach
• Maintaining the native wildflower garden
• Promoting the annual energy competition among residence halls
• Helping with recycling work and educational efforts on campus
• Assisting with work on the carpool and bike share programs, including educational efforts around alternative transportation