The economy is stagnant. The unemployment rate is, sadly, very high. College students are saddled with skyrocketing levels of debt from student loans. Why would it be time to celebrate if you are about to enter the workforce? Because you, my friends, are students at the University of Wisconsin.
What does that mean? Well, you should know. You work hard. You’re smart. You’re passionate. You might start your days in class learning about ionic bonds and valence electrons, have lunch with a professor to discuss your paper on campaign finance reform and spend your evening in a meeting with a handful of other dedicated students to talk about increasing energy efficiency in the dorms.
Yet, students from UW are not satisfied with merely studying and discussing the world around them, they are continually finding ways to act on the knowledge they have gained to make a difference and actually solve the problems that the world is facing.
Throughout college I was active in political organizing. From working to stop the construction of a coal plant, to holding rallies in support of health care reform, I was focused on taking what I was learning in the class room about things like health care and global warming and doing something about it. However, when senior year rolled around I remember (quite vividly) being committed to going to law school and becoming an attorney. However, when I really thought about it I realized that what I cared about was making a difference in the world around me, and I could make a difference without going to law school.
I started working as the Clean Energy Associate in the fellowship program for Wisconsin Environment in August, and it has taken me everywhere from California to protect America’s strongest global warming law to Colorado to put environmental champions into legislative office to lobbying decision makers in Madison on increasing Wisconsin’s renewable energy portfolio. I have been all over the country for last few months, but the one constant in all of the work I have been doing is the skills I received during my time at UW.
Everyone may have a different experience at Wisconsin, but we all carry with us the lauded “Wisconsin Experience” – the idea that we can create and apply learning inside and outside of the classroom to make the world a better place. The Fellowship has been exactly the opportunity I was looking for to make that difference in the world.
Our environment needs the skills of UW students now more than ever. From the disastrous gulf oil spill, to pollution and invasive species in Lake Michigan to the climate crisis facing the planet, it is plain to see that we need the best and brightest minds working to protect the world around us.
Environment America, the federal partner organization of Wisconsin Environment, is seeking out smart, hard working and passionate college seniors to join our two year, paid fellowship program. The fellowship program is an environmental advocacy training program where you work alongside our senior staff to research problems, find solutions and mobilize large constituencies to win campaigns on the biggest environmental issues facing the country today.
Interested in applying? Send your resume to [email protected] – we are always excited to bring more Badgers on board.
Scott Thompson is a clean energy associate with Wisconsin Environment.
