Growing Impact: Sustainability-Focused Internships Welcome Largest Cohort Yet

The Campus As A Classroom program, led by the University Sustainability Office, offers NC State students hands-on experiences that drive sustainability efforts across campus.

In its first three years, Campus As A Classroom has facilitated 62 sustainability projects and engaged 169 students, providing experiential learning opportunities that support the university’s sustainability goals and foster a vibrant community of collaboration and innovation across campus. 

For the 2024-2025 academic year, Campus As A Classroom welcomes its largest cohort yet. This year, 31 student interns representing six of NC State’s academic colleges were selected to work on 19 diverse projects, chosen from a record-breaking 419 student applications. 

The Campus As A Classroom internship program is a partnership among various NC State departments that propose and lead sustainability-focused internship projects. Projects include enhancing current and future pollinator habitats on campus and conducting microbial research of compost from the NC State Compost Facility and Research Center. 

The program’s interdisciplinary nature allows students to play a significant role in sustainability advancements on campus while gaining valuable real-world experience.

“I’m excited to welcome 31 graduate and undergraduate students to our fourth Campus As A Classroom cohort,” said Jessica Bast, Campus As A Classroom program coordinator for the University Sustainability Office. “These students bring a diverse set of skills and knowledge, in combination with a strong passion for sustainability, that I know will enable them to make a significant impact on sustainability on campus.”

Applications for next year’s internships will open in late June and close in mid-July. Learn more about Campus As A Classroom and meet this year’s cohort at go.ncsu.edu/cac-internships.