The Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors
What We Do:
The Office of Sustainability Administration Hub proudly sponsors the Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors. The Ambassadors are an initiative started by Dr. Ryan Fogt in the spring of 2019 alongside the launch of the Sustainable Administration Hub.
The Ambassadors spend Fall semester participating, promoting, and hosting events on campus promoting a more sustainable Ohio University.
In the Spring semester the Ambassadors are still on campus, but focus on outreach in the surrounding communities in Southeast Ohio.
Entering Spring semester 2023, we are excited to partner with area organizations, like Community Food Initiatives and Athens City Schools to maximize our involvement in community operations dedicated to improving life and action toward environmental action goals!
We are always excited and inspired by the work that we are able to do throughout the school year! Here are some of our highlights from the last year:
- We welcomed 34 new Ambassadors over the last three semesters!
- With the help of our new and continuing Ambassadors, we volunteered at 24 events and counting over the last two semesters!
- Those 24 events of volunteering always turn out to be a great time, and between the people that volunteered, we counted 296 total volunteer hours!
The Ambassadors are active and always welcoming new members who want to be part of change and action in the area!
How we Work:
- We are not a club; we have no elections or formal leadership structure.
- We have business meetings no more than once a month.
- We ask that participating community members attend 3 events (excluding business meetings) every semester.
- We are available to volunteer for on, or off-campus events promoting a greener future for Ohio and the planet.
- We primarily communicate via a Friday email and our OneDrive Shared Space (you can find the link below!).
- Members decide what events they want to participate in and there are always opportunities for every interest and schedule.
- Some activities are available to students and non-student community members! Apply to inquire.
Listen to our new Sustainability Series Podcast here!
Ambassador Spotlights
Mia Citino
I applied to the ambassador program because I wanted to learn about sustainability and be part of sustainability efforts at OHIO. I continue to be an ambassador because of the variety of volunteer opportunities and connections that are made through this experience. In addition, I really enjoy spending time with the other ambassadors and learning from them. The ambassadors are all extremely passionate about sustainability and come from a variety of environmental backgrounds. Having these peer mentors is valuable because I am constantly trying to grow in my environmental knowledge. Being a member of Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors has allowed me to meet other students and faculty who are passionate about the environment. This has helped me achieve my goal of developing a better understanding of various environmental concepts, which is an area I anticipate will continue to grow as I continue my time in this program.
Kate Harmon
When I came to Ohio University as a Freshman, I wanted to get involved in the community and make a positive difference on the environment. I heard about the Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors and all of the amazing work they were doing to better the environment and educate students on how to live more sustainably, and I knew I should join. When I volunteer for an event, I feel connected to the Athens community, get to talk about topics that I’m passionate about, and meet other driven students. I can see the impact that our events have, and it inspires me to continue being an engaged Ambassador. My goals as part of this group are to educate students on various environmental issues and how they can make a difference through habits like shopping locally, using reusable products, and riding their bike. Through outreach events, seminars, and volunteering, we have increased student awareness and improved the health of our environment.
Ridge Cook
I joined the Climate and Sustainability Ambassadors as a freshman looking for ways to get involved in sustainability initiatives outside of class. I continue to work as an ambassador as a senior because I want to pass down any knowledge and connections I have made in the past 4 years to new students with similar interests. Since joining, I have helped organize volunteer work days across campus through the Grounds Department, interviewed with The Post about our clothing swap event, Ecofest, and living in the Ecohouse, and met some great people in the wonderful sustainability-minded community here in Athens. I am extremely motivated by working on hands-on community projects alongside my coursework, and I think this group allows students to see results and growth more easily than just taking classes. My goal now as an ambassador is to help bring together other sustainability-focused groups across campus and in the community to help drive progress and solidify our work. This has been partially achieved by the creation of Ecofest by my friends, and my own work to get students more involved in building ecologically healthy areas on campus.
Katelyn Rousch
I discovered the Climate & Sustainability Ambassadors as a freshman—I knew immediately it was the service niche I was looking for, as I was excited to be a part of a group that was environmentally-focused and interconnected to so many parts of the university and Athens communities. Even as the pandemic descended, I was still able to participate in virtual events and create educational content with the Ambassadors. I am a firm believer in making science and research accessible to the public, and educational outreach is one of my favorite (and most important, in my opinion) kinds of work that I have done with the Ambassadors. One of the best parts of the Ambassadors is the network of students, faculty, staff, and community actors you come to know through service. My continued experience with the Ambassadors allows me to make connections and recruit volunteers for larger sustainability projects, such as residence hall composting.