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Sustainability

EcoLeader Program

The EcoLeader program is a student leadership initiative that focuses on raising positive awareness of environmental issues and encourages sustainable practices at the University. 

The program started in fall 2012 and is operated by the Office of Sustainability. The program's goals are to increase student knowledge on important environmental issues such as conservation, sustainability, recycling, and ecological awareness, in the context of a University setting. In the fall 2024 semester, the program collaborated with SOMAS to become a for-credit internship program. Beginning in the fall 2025 to spring 2026 academic year, students can now work as SUNY Empire State Service Corps Interns through the SBU Office of Sustainability. More information can be found here.

Meet the EcoLeaders

Vienna Christensen ‘27

Hi I’m Vienna and I’m an Environmental Studies and Psychology double major, with a minor in Political Science. My favorite sustainable practices are composting food scraps in my backyard, not using AC in the summer, and eating a vegetarian diet. My work at the Office of Sustainability involves student outreach, by tabling, creating visual content and infographics for social media, and weighing food waste at our dining halls to promote student awareness. Some additional passion projects include researching how SBU can implement more sustainable practices, by eliminating single use plastic and increasing recycling and composting. I have also conducted Scope 3 emissions calculations to quantify SBU’s carbon footprint in sectors such as athletics, commuting, and campus transportation. Beyond working at the Office, I am the Treasurer of the Environmental Club and Audubon Society. In the future, I hope to connect my studies in environmental policy and behavioral science to create effective systems-level change, with a particular interest in increasing access to clean water.

Akshay Illiparambil ‘26

Hey! I’m a senior from Mineola, NY majoring in Sustainability Studies with a focus on Societies, Economics and Governance. It’s a privilege working with Erin to implement the changes I learn about in class. That’s why I got involved with the Office of Sustainability and SunriseSBU– to speak truth to power and drive student engagement in sustainability initiatives around campus. I’m so proud of the community we built for Weigh the Waste throughout Fall 2025 and I’m so excited to see what else the team can accomplish. What started out as an EcoLeader initiative grew far beyond what I could imagine. We established a culture of empathy, kindheartedness, and respect that inspired our team to separate over 8,500 pounds of food waste and compost more than 8% of that.

Gilana Etame ‘27

Hi, I’m an Environmental Studies major with two minors in Studio Art and Creative Writing, and am from Hempstead, NY. Here at SBU, my work with the Office of Sustainability has included designing and developing content for the social media page, outreach through tabling and interacting at student engagement events, and other special projects aimed at investigating how to make a more sustainable campus for the student body. One project I was particularly happy to work on was a series of interviewing students on their thoughts and knowledge surrounding sustainability on campus. Outside of my internship, I also work for campus’s Zuccaire Gallery, am on the art department’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Committee, and have spent the past semester participating in the Florence University of the Arts Study Abroad Program. Throughout my time in this internship I have been able to gain much more insight into the inner workings of the Office of Sustainability and their close collaborators, and I hope to build upon this knowledge to work in the field of sustainability someday

 

How do I Apply?

Applications for the 26-27 ESSC Sustainability Internships are open now on Handshake. EcoLeaders will be selected after applications are reviewed by the Office of Sustainability. Students interested in work for academic credit can email the office directly for more information.