Sustainability Outreach Interns (SOIs) serve as paid sustainability champions and ambassadors for the Office of Sustainability. In collaboration with ResLife, this program empowers SOIs to lead sustainability related programming and educational activities in their residence halls. Keep an eye out for communications from your Residence Hall’s SOI for more ways to get involved and learn about UConn’s sustainability initiatives! Below are some of responsibilities of a Sustainability Outreach Intern:

• Must be a UConn student living in an on campus residential hall.
• Work 5 hours per week ($17.50/hr to start)
• Collaborate with OS Staff, Hall Directors and Resident Assistants to lead sustainability-related programming and educational activities in residence halls
• Attend biweekly SOI meetings
• Provide weekly updates to OS staff and intern leads
• Participate in SOI training and group chat on Teams
• Participate and encourage student participation in certain Office of Sustainability events and programming such as EcoMadness and Earth Day Spring Fling.
• Create an individual sustainability project which will be developed throughout the school year and may:
  • Be executed on UConn’s campus to achieve tangible outcomes or;
  • Answer a sustainability-related research question
• Lead sustainability education and engagement activities in residence halls.
• Examples include, but are not limited to:
  • Weekly recycling audits and scoring
  • Monthly hall meetings about different topics related to sustainability
  • Environmental discussion forums or guest speakers
  • SOI “office hours” where people can ask questions about sustainability or give suggestions
  • Raise awareness about sustainability topics through signage, flyers, social media, etc.
  • Weekly tips for living more sustainably
  • Volunteer clean-up events
  • Week-long or one-day events or activities, such as a “power-down” day or other fun competitions

Additionally, as part of this role, you will automatically be enrolled as a participant with Work+. You will work with your supervisor to complete program-specific tasks and trainings designed to amplify your working learner experience and enhance your overall professional development.

Applications via UConn’s 12Twenty platform are open until August 9.

Job Requirements 

***SOIs must reside in the hall or apartment complex in which they plan to work for the duration of their period of employment.

• Live in a UConn Storrs residence hall

• A minimum GPA of 3.2

• An interest in the environment and/or sustainability

• Dependable, creative, and organized

• An interest in the environment, sustainability and their interactions with society

• Demonstrated peer leadership and project management skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interacting professionally with faculty, staff, and students

• Commitment to learning and continuous improvement

• Ability to work in a team and individually

• Positive attitude, adaptability, enthusiasm, professionalism, and patience

 

If you are interested in applying for this position, please attach a resume and cover letter outlining your interest in the position and a screenshot of your residence hall placement for the 2026-2027 school year.  

Apply on 12Twenty by 11:45pm on August 9, 2026.  Reliance on AI to prepare your cover letter will not work in your favor. Applications that do not include all three attachments will not be considered.

Residence Halls we are hiring for: 

• Buckley

• Shippee

• Towers

• East

• South

• West

• CT Hall

• Charter Oak Apartments
• North
• Northwest

• Werth

• Garrigus

We have returning SOIs for Hilltop Halls, Hilltop Apartments, East Campus, Busby, Alumni, and McMahon.  

Overall Goals of Internship 

• Provide sustainability education for residence hall residents and engage them with sustainable living practices.

• Foster environmental community within residence halls.

• Foster intern professional development skills by familiarizing them with professional communication, event planning, collaboration, remote work, and sustainability principles.

• Educate SOIs about sustainability and take a positive and community-driven approach to the existential threat of climate change.

• Make SOIs experts at outreach to engage as many students as possible in residence halls.

• Make diversity, equity, and inclusion a central focus in event planning and programming.

 

The Office of Sustainability is committed to creating an inclusive environment that encourages innovation and supports the communities and individuals it serves. We strongly encourage the participation of individuals from all social identities such as race, color, ethnicity, religion/spirituality, age, national origin, ancestry, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, and gender identity or expression, as well as various life experiences and perspectives, military service, and past and current employment. Individuals requiring accommodations during the application process should reach out to anna.parker@uconn.edu