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News Release

Last modified: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

IU Office of Sustainability seeks summer 2013 interns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 23, 2013

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Continuing a tradition of student engagement in sustainability-related program development and research, the Indiana University Office of Sustainability is now accepting applications for its seventh Summer Internship Program in Sustainability.

The office will hold two information sessions about the program. The first, co-sponsored by the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at SPEA Room 212. The second is co-sponsored by the Hutton Honors College and will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, at E-House, 704 E. 10th St.

The Summer Internship Program in Sustainability addresses issues of environmental, economic and social sustainability in campus operations, academic programs and university-community relations. The student interns, selected from both undergraduate and graduate student applicants, will work on a broad array of issues related to sustainability, under the mentorship of IU faculty and staff.

"Sustainability interns are critically important to our campus sustainability success," said Bill Brown, director of sustainability. "They move from research to implementation, uniting academic programs with campus operations, all while gaining valuable career experience."

Since its inception in 2007, the Internship Program in Sustainability has strived to promote experiential learning as an integral part of the campus sustainability initiative. Some student interns will continue work on current projects, such as the partnerships with the Sustainability and the First Year Experience program and Greening Athletics, while others will explore new topics, such as developing a new peer-to-peer sustainability educators program and tracking local food and green events through Indiana Memorial Union's Dining Services.

In addition to focusing 20 hours per week on these projects, the interns will be enrolled in a one-credit course designed to provide them a comprehensive background in sustainability, make connections between their internships and increase opportunities to collaborate.

"The 20-hour work week over the summer allows the students to focus more on their projects," said Emilie Rex, assistant director of sustainability. "And the seminar provides a great space for them to collaborate across topics, as well as dig into to those complex issues in sustainability."

The Office of Sustainability is accepting applications for 18 new internships for summer 2013. Nine of these interns will work projects based with the office; the other nine will work collaboratively with the office and the Campus Sustainability Advisory Board on projects designed to meet the strategic goals of the office's seven working groups. Complete descriptions of the internships are available online.

Internships mentored through the Office of Sustainability:

• Greening of the Athletics Department
• Greening of the Health Center
• Green Purchasing Policies and Procedures
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Tools, Processes and University Standards
• Local Food Sourcing and Green Events Planning at the IMU
• Student Sustainability Educators Program
• Green Teams
• Sustainability Funding Development
• Sustainability and the First Year Experience

Internships mentored through the Campus Sustainability Advisory Board Working Groups:

• Academic Initiatives: Developing and Supporting Curricular and Co-Curricular Sustainability Initiatives
• Energy and the Built Environment: Utilities Conservation Project Coordination
• Energy and the Built Environment: Creating a Culture of Energy Conservation in Residence Halls
• Environmental Quality and Land Use: Composting Initiatives
• Food: Campus Garden and Edible Campus Initiative Coordination
• Food: Strategic Planning and Implementation for Sustainable Food
• Resource Use: No Waste Coordination
• Resource Use: Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale
• Transportation: Bicycle Master Plan Scoping

More information about the program and how to apply is available on the IU Office of Sustainability website. The office will accept applications and recommendations until 11:59 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, through its online application system. Applicants are encouraged to log in to the system by Feb. 8 to send their recommendation request. Questions regarding internships or the application process may also be directed to Emilie Rex at ekrex@indiana.edu.

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