For the past 5 years, the Student Sustainability Leadership Council (SSLC) has provided a space for passionate MSU students to learn about sustainability, engage with other students and professionals in the field, and influence sustainability policies across campus by leveraging the collective voices of student groups.

The SSLC was formed by the MSU Office of Sustainability in 2019 as a way to bring together registered student organizations (RSOs) on campus that were interested in sustainability. “We were working really closely with a couple student groups, and our director at the time, Amy Butler, just had this idea, 'We should have a space for these groups to come together, learn from one another, and learn from us,'” said Laura Young, a sustainability manager at MSU. “We can learn from them, too—hear what their ideas and concerns are around sustainability.”

The SSLC provides an opportunity for members of campus RSOs to hear from a variety of guest speakers, Young explained. “We've brought in young alumni to speak to students about what their career transitions looked like after they left MSU, and [we've brought in] folks that have had a longer history within the field,” she said. The group also brings in speakers chosen by the member RSOs, who speak on topics of interest from career paths in sustainability to leadership and skill development.

Today the SSLC remains a space for students from many different RSOs to come together every Friday for education, but also mentorship and connection. “Anyone is welcome … you just have to be passionate about sustainability,” Young said. “We encourage the student groups to network with one another, so that they're building bonds, and we definitely see that.”

According to Young, inclusivity and connection are essential to SSLC's mission. “Sustainability, for us, is all about collaboration. When there are so many groups that share this common interest, getting all the folks at the table to move something forward [is key], but also it's so much easier to do something big together than to do it alone.”

Young added that participating students are already leaders in their RSOs, and their work often extends well beyond their time at MSU. “There are so many graduates doing amazing things now that they've graduated. I think there's something so powerful about those co-curricular experiences where they're getting hands-on experience, developing their leadership skills, and putting themselves out there,” she said.

Because another purpose of the SSLC is to advise the MSU Office of Sustainability, the group has made substantial contributions to sustainability progress on campus. “When we're thinking about a new idea, we're taking it to the council to help vet it initially and think about how we could best roll this out,” Young said. These ideas include programs like MSU's reusable container program, which the SSLC piloted in the dining halls during the COVID-19 pandemic. The council also partners with ASMSU, often contributing to relevant bills. Finally, the connections fostered in the SSLC often lead to students cooperatively developing programs, events, and campaigns centered on sustainability.

Young hopes that the SSLC will continue to grow and provide even more students with the opportunity to be a part of sustainability efforts on campus. “I'm really excited to see where the council goes moving forward, because [the 2023-2024 academic year] was probably the first year of a new era, laying the foundation to help it expand,” she said.

Interested students can visit the MSU Sustainability Office's website to learn more about the Student Sustainability Leadership Council.