August 29, 2013

Micah Leinbach

From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Exploring: Environmental studies

From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Exploring: Environmental studies

Green PEAS: Being a resident advisor on the Pioneers in Environmental Action and Service floor—PEAS—was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. It was incredible to see the support system that exists for students, and how well it works in a small school, where people really pay attention.

Greener pastures: The Greek system just isn’t part of our reality here. Our housing and social systems help students form close communities based on things that interest them much more than three letters.

Green thumb: One of the coolest things I’m involved with is the green fee, a voluntary student fund that pays for the whole school to be on wind energy. By supporting efficient suppliers, we’ve built a surplus that now funds green projects like ride-share programs, gardens, greenhouses, and overseas service trips. With 95 percent participation, you know students are into it.

Green light: I’ve chaired the Lewis & Clark Environmental Affairs Symposium, led a panel discussion at the Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference, and helped write sustainability into Lewis & Clark’s strategic plan. I am currently doing a campus-wide invasive species survey using software that most students don’t work with until grad school. This isn’t unusual here—most environmental studies students come out of Lewis & Clark with graduate-level skills and experiences. When we go to conferences, people often ask, “Where did you get your PhD?”