The Student Sustainability Committee: Cultivating Community at CWU Leon Gutierrez, Jordan Spradlin, Hannah Campbell, Brooke Cruz*, Max Henyan, Alex Matheson Project Mentor(s): Susan Rivera, PhD Community is the cornerstone of collaboration and mutual understanding. At CWU, however, many clubs and individuals operate in relative isolation, with limited connection to groups beyond their own activities or reach. New CWU Students may not recognize how sustainability shows up in their classes, clubs, and daily lives. Many students may want to create change, but they need stronger support and clearer pathways to effect that change. The Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) was established to provide that support and to coordinate student-led sustainability initiatives across campus. The SSC serves as a hub that connects people and clubs through sustainability-driven events, projects, and initiatives. Through partnerships with the Office of Sustainability and ASCWU (Associated Students of CWU), the SSC offers support and consulting services to other campus clubs and individual students. QR codes were distributed during Earth Week, directing students to a short, one-minute survey designed to gauge their sustainability interests and identify prospective SSC members. Using Earth Week for outreach provided a strong foundation for engaging those interested in sustainability while also attracting a diverse audience. By the end of this quarter, we aim to have 10 active members, each volunteering at least once, with their hours accurately tracked. The SSC is not just a volunteer team—it advances UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by creating meaningful, accessible ways for students to engage in sustainability. Sustainability is essential,
and the SSC helps bring it into the mainstream of campus life. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (May 21, 9:30am–3:00pm) Keywords : Community Engagement, Volunteerism, Campus Sustainability SOURCE Form ID: 154
Weekend Refresh: Weekly Food and Care Pantry Pop-Up Naomi Klockars Project Mentor(s): Charles Johnson, Susan Rivera, PhD
Many Central Washington University students suffer with food insecurity, and students that worry about their next meal often have other health issues that become exacerbated with lack of access to affordable food. Many food options covered by a meal plan have limited hours in the evenings/weekends, and the Wildcat Pantry is closed on weekends. To help reduce food scarcity among students, a partnership began with the Wildcat Pantry to introduce a helpful addition to the on-campus pantry; Weekend Refresh! Weekend Refresh is a weekly food and care package program starting in Fall 2026, where students at CWU’s Ellensburg campus have the option to receive aid to supplement weekend food scarcity and insecurity. Three types of packages that students can order are a stove-top meal kit, microwave meals/snacks, and hygiene supplies to provide necessities for any personal needs. A Wildcat Pantry Staff Member will be hired to package and distribute pickup orders in the Multicultural Center’s kitchen for a few hours each Friday. To assess the effectiveness of this initiative, students will be sent a survey form which will measure how beneficial it was for each student, as well as asking if these students were often food insecure on weekends before the program. Student feedback will determine if this continues as a permanent addition to CWU’s Wildcat Pantry. Weekend Refresh can aid sixty students per week over the first four weeks of Fall quarter unless adopted, where it will be sixty students every week permanently.
Presentation Type: Poster Presentation (May 21, 9:30am–3:00pm) Keywords : Food Insecurity, Basic needs, Pantry, Accessibility SOURCE Form ID: 113
121
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator