The Schreyer Honors College (SHC) Student Council is an organization that serves to promote the interests of and represent students in the Schreyer Honors College. We look to create a welcoming and successful environment that advocates for the well-being of all students. As an organization, we believe that sufficient education about and awareness of sustainability initiatives are necessary to face the threat of climate change. We acknowledge this problem and wish to do our part by uniting with other Penn State groups with the common goal of creating a better future for our planet.

The SHC Student Council fully endorses the goals of the Penn State Climate Action Petition. We support the goals of setting a deadline to reach net-zero emissions, incorporating sustainability education into the curriculum, and furthering research into energy efficiency and carbon capture technology. We encourage the Penn State administration to step up and take measures to fight climate change. As a world-renowned university, we have the opportunity to be a global role model for countless schools and organizations. We look forward to seeing Penn State take definitive steps toward becoming a leader for other institutions as a sustainable university.  

    Awaken State is a multigenerational initiative devoted to increasing awareness of environmental topics and improving Penn State’s response to the climate crisis. We work to connect with students, faculty, and community members from across Penn State to facilitate climate activism and education. We believe that students must be better educated about climate change in order to be prepared for the environmental challenges they will face in their careers and lives. We believe Penn State can instigate change on a global scale by preparing students to advocate for future generations, vulnerable populations, and the Earth’s climate.
    One of Awaken State’s main initiatives is the Climate Crossover. The Climate Crossover is a campus-wide initiative to provide faculty with the resources they need to teach about climate in the context of their curriculum - and thus provide students with relevant environmental education. We see this initiative as being closely tied to the educational goals of Penn State Climate Action. The Climate Crossover already reaches thousands of students each semester, and we believe that further focus on the issue could expand that impact to every student at PSU.

Awaken State is proud to work alongside Penn State Climate Action to promote an engaged, educated community at Penn State.

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Schreyer for Women is committed to championing women and women’s issues, promoting education, and — broadly speaking — empowering our members to change the world. SfW recognizes that sustainability and climate justice are critical issues, and we assert that women and girls play an important role in the future of our planet. Project Drawdown highlights Women’s Education and Family Planning as two of the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions, with an estimate of 85.42 gigatons of carbon dioxide reduced by 2050. Reflecting on the importance of our mission in the fight for climate justice, we will continue to uplift and engage female students locally and internationally, and we pledge to utilize and promote eco-friendly solutions for our programming and among our members.


Our mission is closely tied to Sustainable Development Goal #5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls), and we envision a Penn State community in which women are equal, respected, and celebrated. We commit to that vision through our programming, which supports our members academically, professionally, and interpersonally; and which engages our members through service and women-focused initiatives. Some examples of our programming include: professional development and networking events, annual International Women’s Day events, mentoring programs, and community-building activities. In addition, our collaborations with external organizations (including local schools, Days for Girls, and PBS) have also helped us work with Goals #4 (Quality Education), #16 (Peace, Justice, & Strong Institutions), and #17 (Partnership for the Goals).

The Society of Energy Engineers has a primary goal of helping its members make strides in the field of energy. This includes the fight to increase renewables such as solar and wind power, as well as making sure we are using our energy as efficiently as possible. We help our students find careers in these fields by building professional and personal connections. SEE will bring in/visit speakers from different jobs and organizations to talk to its members about the current state of the industry, as well as the innovations that are made every single day in our field. It usually turns out that the most important innovations come out in the form of sustainability technology.

Penn State has made some strides forward in the past few years on becoming a more environmentally friendly campus, but there is always more to be done. Whether this school implements more energy efficient systems or integrates renewable energy into their grids, we believe PSU can do more to go green. The Society of Energy Engineers endorses Penn State Climate Action because our students understand that the clock is ticking, and we need to take every step possible to become more sustainable.