by Niki Acton '16

For the seventh year in a row, Knox College has been named to Sierra Club's list of Cool Schools, which showcases the nation's greenest colleges and universities. With such a commitment to sustainability, it's no surprise that many students found summer jobs and internships that allow them to pursue their own individual passions for sustainability and environmental responsibility. Here are a few examples:

Morgan Madderom '17 spent her summer working with the vice president of social innovation and sustainability at Brookfield Zoo. In addition to helping make the zoo an inclusive and welcoming environment, Madderom designed a plan to reduce food waste at the zoo.

"One project I worked on was purchasing local food for the animals," said Madderom, who is a double major in environmental studies and creative writing. "We ended up purchasing from an urban garden on the west side of Chicago. We created a solution that had environmental and social benefits for both the Chicago community and the Brookfield community."

Robin Delaquess '16 was an intern at Troy Community Farm, part of the nonprofit Community GroundWorks in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to working on the farm, Delaquess attended classes on a variety of topics related to organic agriculture, such as soil science. During the academic year at Knox, she plans to pursue her senior project in environmental studies.

"I plan to develop a plan for Knox Farm that I hope will increase its efficiency and effectiveness," said Delaquess. "This plan will take into account the needs of the cafeteria, the learning objectives of the Urban Agriculture class, soil fertility, pest, disease and weed management, and student labor availability throughout the year."

This summer, Ned Babbott '16 served the Knox community through his internship with the Knox College Office of Sustainability. Babbott conducted a feasibility study for a machine called the FLEXIBUSTER, which would allow the school to create biomethane to power the boilers instead of having to buy natural gas mined through hydraulic fracturing.

"The campus climate of activism has also made me keen to contribute something which leaves a positive change at Knox," said Babbott, who is a Spanish and environmental studies double major. "By working toward a change in energy consumption, I hope to move forward with the school toward carbon-neutrality, and our pledges to a healthier impact on the planet."

Other environmental internships include:

Melissa Jaffe '17, wild salmon conservation and restoration intern with Sitka Conservation Society in Sitka, Alaska. (Supported by the Sitka Fund.)

Yaoska Mayorga '17, intern at The Garden School Foundation in Los Angeles, California. (Supported by the Hirsch-Zucker Fund.)

Sidath Wanigasinghe '17, restoration intern at Greek Oaks Biological Field Station in Galesburg, Illinois.

Jason Deschamps '15, intern at United Nations Environment Program in Paris, France.

Jordan Hallman '15, intern at Urban Land Conservancy in Denver, Colorado.