Student Opportunties
Help keep our campus clean and green.
Make your Impact
Volunteer
Our office is very thankful to the effort of our many passionate volunteers. Anyone can volunteer with our office, whether a student, member of faculty or staff, or an individual from the community. We have regularly occurring volunteer opportunities through the Green Grove and UM Compost programs, but we also occasionally have other opportunities as well, including work days at the Woodlawn-Davis Nature Center, and others. If you are interested in volunteering but don’t know where to begin, or if you would like to inquire about a particular opportunity, email our office.
Environmental Studies Minor
The Environmental Studies program at the university offers an exciting, multidisciplinary minor that can help support the studies of any major, whether biology, English, international studies, or engineering. Students from across campus participate in the environmental studies minor and have had opportunities to study abroad to Costa Rica and Tanzania, conduct field studies on the Mississippi River, engage with speakers, and more.
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Propose a Project
Students may propose sustainability projects through the UM Green Fund. If funded, the Office of Sustainability will help facilitate the project, but the student will lead its implementation. Students can have a major impact on campus sustainability through the UM Green Fund. Example projects that started as UM Green Fund proposals include the UM Compost Project, the Native Plant Demonstration, Lenior Dining’s Green Restaurant Certification, and others.
UM Green Fund
Clubs & Internships
The university has several sustainability-related clubs. Students can participate in the UM Garden Club, Real Food Rebels, Hill Country Roots, UM Beekeepers, and find other similar organizations through ForUM.
Leadership Opportunities
There are several ways students can get experience in sustainability leadership on campus. They include:
- Green Grove Team Leaders – Green Grove Team Leaders serve a vital role in the Green Grove program by coordinating volunteers in the Grove and in the Circle during football season.
- Eco Reps – The Eco Reps program is facilitated by the Office of Sustainability. Eco Reps conduct sustainability outreach in the residence halls.
- UM Green Fund Committee – The UM Green Fund is a designated fund for sustainability projects. Members of the UM Green Fund Committee evaluate and select project proposals to fund. Students can serve on the committee and are a valuable part of the process.
The Office of Sustainability’s Green Student Intern Program (GSIP) employs students during the summer, fall, and spring semesters to work on sustainability projects that benefit students, the university, and our larger community. Intern work areas are subject to change, but projects will often be related to the following operational realms: transportation, recycling/waste management, behavioral change, and outreach and event planning.
The Office of Sustainability provides support, guidance, and access to information and resources to students involved in the GSIP program that will enable sustainability projects to succeed. To maximize the impact of the GSIP program, interns will be encouraged to record their progress with each project, including the context, lessons learned, where the project needs to go next, and any other relevant information that will ensure that long-term projects maintain their momentum.
Green Student Interns are expected to work 10-20 hours per week. Interested applicants should also check with their academic departments to see if they qualify for academic credit. The Office of Sustainability has an existing academic credit agreement with the Environmental Studies Minor.
Internship Openings
to come...
Green Grove Specialization
This specialization is only offered during fall or summer GSIP. Intern(s) specializing in Green Grove are responsible for facilitating game day recycling efforts and our recycling sorting events at the Oxford Recycling Center. Intern responsibilities fall into three main categories: volunteer management, program operations/logistics, and outreach. They will also help with any additional needs of the program throughout the semester, including data collection and assessment, program promotion, and program reporting.
Competitive applicants will be familiar with coordinating volunteer events and have above-average time management skills.
Job Qualifications: Interns must be available to work 10-20 hours per week.
Earth Month Specialization
This specialization is only offered during Spring GSIP. The intern(s) specializing in Earth Month will play a key role in the planning, promotion, and facilitation of the university’s Earth Month activities. This student will collaborate with key office partners throughout the Ole Miss and Oxford community to host events centered on sustainability education, outreach, and volunteerism. This role involves significant coordination and planning in advance and can involve very fast-paced work during the month of April.
Competitive applicants will be familiar with coordinating event logistics, comfortable delegating responsibilities to others, and have above-average time management skills.
Job Qualifications: Interns must be available to work 10-20 hours per week.
Office Communications & Engagement Specialization
Interns specializing in office communications & engagement will assist the Office of Sustainability in designing and implementing outreach and educational campaigns as it relates to all office programs. They will be responsible for managing our official social media accounts in addition to providing monthly content for our Red, Blue, and Green newsletters. They will be the student lead for general communications for all office programs; this involves assisting in volunteer database management, creating volunteer recruitment strategies, and expanding the Office of Sustainability LOU community network.
Competitive applicants are those with interest and/or experience in networking, event coordination, social media coordination, and content creation.
Job Qualification: Interns must be available to work 10-20 hours per week.
Campus Garden Specialization
Interns specializing in the Campus Garden will be the student leads in managing garden logistics and outreach. They will be responsible for ensuring that the program is operational and running smoothly during the growing season of the semester. They will coordinate with the GSIP team and volunteers to ensure that the campus garden is maintained and responsibly utilized. They will also help with any additional needs of the program during the course of the semester, including prepping or winterizing beds, data collection and assessment, volunteer planning, coordinating program promotion, and reporting.
Competitive applicants will have basic gardening knowledge, present strong leadership skills, and be comfortable driving on campus.
Job Qualifications: Interns must be available to work 10-20 hours per week.
Compost Collective Specialization
Interns specializing in the Compost Collective will be the student leads for the Compost Collective program. These individuals are responsible for ensuring that the program is operational and running smoothly during the pick-up season on campus. They will coordinate the entire GSIP team in ensuring that pick-up shifts are covered. They will also help with any additional needs of the program during the course of the semester, including hosting sifting and selling compost events, data collection and assessment, volunteer planning and coordinating, program promotion, and reporting. Compost Collective leads should be prepared to communicate directly and regularly with Ole Miss Dining staff.
Competitive applicants will be comfortable with physical labor and working outside.
Job Qualifications: Interns must be available to work 10-20 hours.
How to Apply
Interested students must fill out an application and provide a resume and cover letter. The resume and cover letter can be attached to your application or emailed to green@olemiss.edu.
Applications for Fall 2023 are closed. Spring 2024 applications will open mid-late fall.
For more specific inquiries, please email us at green@olemiss.edu.