Applications open: 2023-24 Office of Sustainability student internship program

From: The Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities

Make a difference at Virginia Tech and beyond by working with the Office of Sustainability to advance the university’s Climate Action Commitment goals as part of our sustainability internship program. Undergraduate students from any major are welcome to apply, as sustainability is interdisciplinary. To be eligible, students must:

• Be an undergraduate student in good academic standing.
• Be able to participate for both the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.
• Be able to work five-to-eight hours per week on internship-related activities, including weekly meetings and workshops.

The intern cohort is broken into teams based on topic areas of interest including energy, water, waste, and food. Each intern team includes one student team leader and a student communications representative. The team leader is responsible for facilitating meetings, tracking the success of projects, and reporting progress to the team advisor. The communications representative is responsible for social media management, graphic design, photography, and content creation.

Intern teams will work on a variety of tasks, including:

• Partner projects: Teams will partner with various departments such as Energy Management, Stormwater Management, Sustainable Dining, and Housing and Residence Life to complete technical projects.
• Education and outreach: Teams will plan and execute outreach events in partnership with community organizations such as The YMCA, Town of Blacksburg, and Blacksburg Farmers Market. Past events include Thrift Swaps, Pop-up Farmers Market, and seed plantings.
• Universitywide campaigns: Teams will assist in executing large-scale campaigns including Race to Zero Waste and Earth Week.

While the internship is unpaid, it can be listed on your official transcript and will provide valuable experience and professional development opportunities.

More information about the internship as well as its application can be found online. Applications are due by March 15 at 1 p.m. eastern time.

Questions may be directed to sustainability@vt.edu.