The Green Scholars program began this year with an aim to better educate the USC community about environmental sustainability.
There are 19 scholars in total, all digging in to a two-year commitment to environmental education and research. Dakota Flynn, a graduate assistant at the Green Quad Learning Center, serves as a mentor to the group.
“We work a lot with the group on understanding the different facets of sustainability,” Flynn said.
Financial sustainability, social justice, wellness and education are among some things students can study. Additionally, students are required to complete a set number of community service hours as part of the program.
“Several of the students have been recognized for their leadership,” Flynn said. “We have spent a day cleaning up the Rocky Branch River, and many students have found avenues for research.”
One of these students is Rohan Bhalla, a first-year risk management and finance student, who decided to participate in the scholars program based on his business studies.
“Knowledge about sustainability is going to be integral in any industry in the coming times,” he said. “The Green Scholars program gives me an opportunity to further my understanding of what sustainability means in today's world, while also giving me the opportunity to be involved within my residence hall in ways that not only makes my experience on campus better, but also allows me to build better relationships with the faculty here at Green Quad."
Besides cleaning up the Rocky Branch River, Bhalla has broadened his sustainable know-how from listening to distinguished professors known for their ongoing research in sustainability. Bhalla hopes to graduate with Leadership Distinction for his contributions to the field of public sustainability.
Victoria Jung is another scholar with big goals. In fact, the first-year business student knew she wanted to participate in the program from her first tour of Green Quad.
“I was amazed by how it was built and all the features it has to promote a greener lifestyle for its residents,” she said.
Her long-term aspiration is for the university as a whole to gain a concrete understanding of what it means to live sustainably. Jung is also a Green Ambassador tasked with organizing all community service events in Green Quad, and she's the creator of Invasive Plant Removal Day.
Flynn admits that there have been challenges in summarizing the message of the program. It was difficult to put “into words what exactly their charge was to be.” Because the program was so new, there was plenty of room to tailor around the scholars.
What Flynn wanted to stay away from was the memorization of a preset message created by the administration.
“We wanted to capitalize on their passions for sustainability,” he said. “We have had to be very intentional in the way we work with them and the experiences we provide them with."