The Employee Sustainability Education Program (ESEP) launched in Fall 2024. This new program aims to engage faculty and staff across campus in meaningful sustainability efforts through a network of Sustainability Advocates. Faculty and staff from different campus departments volunteer as Sustainability Advocates, serving as points of contact for sustainability efforts in their respective areas. These advocates spread sustainability knowledge and organize initiatives within their departments.
What's Involved?
Education
Advocates receive training and participate in monthly one-hour meetings to discuss key sustainability topics and ideas for office-level improvements. Training addresses practices such as environmentally effective purchasing, physical space operation and management, sustainable event planning, energy conservation, employee commuting and travel, waste reduction, composting and recycling.
Share information
After each gathering, advocates distribute sustainability updates, opportunities, and initiatives to their colleagues through meetings, email, or departmental newsletters.
Facilitate department engagement
Advocates coordinate sustainability activities, such as organizing office clean-ups, reducing paper use, or adopting energy-saving strategies.
Serve as a feedback channel
Advocates discuss the department's sustainability needs, challenges encountered, and ideas to USD’s Office of Sustainability.
Cohort 2
- Ainsley Elliot, Sponsored Programs Coordinator, Office of Sponsored Programs
- Antonio Jr Formacion, Assistant Director of International Business Programs, Ahlers Center for International Business
- Devon Moraes, Assistant Director, Honors Program
- Harper Estus, Lead Coordinator, USD College Corps
- Lacey Pollack, Executive Assistant, Environmental and Ocean Sciences Department
- Laney Green, Executive Assistant, Math Department
- Lucie Courney, Coordinator, Law School Development & Alumni Relations
- Nancy Kuelbs, Scheduler, College of Arts and Sciences
- Ryan Smith, Administrative Assistant, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering
Cohort 1
- Anthony Basilio, Laboratory Technician, Environmental and Ocean Sciences Department
- Irene Garcia, Executive Assistant, Torero Hub Support
- Jacquelynn Morganson, Assistant to the AVP, Public Safety
- Lindy Villa, Assistant Director, Humanities Center
- Melanie Writer, Executive Assistant, Biology Department
- Paula Schmid, Executive Assistant, Engineering Department
- Stacey Truver, Office Manager, University Marketing and Communications
I loved learning about USD's sustainability efforts and how I can add to those efforts in my department. We've been using the Green Event Kits for our events and have moved our small food waste container into the 3rd floor break room in Shiley Center for Science and Technology so that it can be used by everyone all the time.
Are you an employee looking to make a difference in your department? Join the ESEP program by emailing the Office of Sustainability at sustainability@sandiego.edu!