Environmentally-conscious students will have a new housing option next year, thanks to a pilot program recently announced by the Office of Residential Life.
The program will place four students interested in environmental sustainability in a residential "think tank" next year in the East Wheelock cluster. The proposal pledges to give students a chance to hone their leadership skills and benefit from an extended advising and mentoring system.
Students living in the "think tank" will be expected to promote sustainability issues on campus through both living and field experience. The program also plans to require a five to 10-hour per week research project or internship that would be supported by the Tucker Foundation Office of Fellowships and Internships.
The students will live in McCulloch Hall, in two singles and a double with shared common space. While students will not be mandated to follow sustainablity guidelines, it is assumed that they will regardless of stipulation.
"The most important point is that it will provide another unique, educational opportunity to enrich students' co-curricular, field experience, leadership development and research interests," Lynn White Cloud, director of fellowships and internships at the Tucker Foundation, explained.
Students must be enrolled in classes to participate in the "think tank" and should plan to be involved for at least two terms. The time commitment for the students includes a shared meal once a week, organization of a public forum once a term, the research component and a report on the progress of the research each term.
The application asks students to describe their motivation for applying to the project and list any previous experience with sustainable projects.
It also asks applicants to consider what they would gain from the experience and how their research component would further sustainability on campus or address issues of environmentally sound living.
The "think tank" stems from a larger dialogue on campus about sustainable living and the potential for a sustainable living center on campus
Meg Boyar '03, the Tucker Foundation's "Social Entrepreneurs" fellow, began pursuing the idea of the "think tank" in the middle of Fall term in addition to her interest in a sustainable-living building.
"The concept behind the 'think tank' is that the idea of sustainability needs to be explored and nurtured," Boyar said. "It is important that there is strong communication amongst the students working on these issues."
The "think tank" complements the model residence hall room ORL established this fall in Lord Hall, where residents Anne Raymond '06 and Vicki Allen '06 make every effort in their room to conserve energy.
While neither Raymond nor Allen plan to apply for the "think tank" initiative due to already-set plans for next year, they both applauded its goal of creating a greener residential community.
ECO head Sue DuBois '05 distinguished between the model residence hall room and the planned "think tank."
"MRHR wants to show regular students how to live in their college dorms in a more sustainable manner, and the "think tank" is more of a place for learning and larger schemes," she said.
The next information session for the "think tank" will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. in the Tucker Foundation's offices.
