Our Focus Areas |
Faculty and Staff Support
Academic Projects
SEI works with colleges and universities to expand and/or create project-based courses, certificates, and degree programs that integrate energy and other sustainability concepts into current and new academic offerings.
Recent Academic ProjectPartnering with College of the Canyons, the Energize Colleges team worked with Architecture Instructor Victor Corona and his students to create an energy module: Intro to Energy Pro.
The module introduces students to basic sustainable architecture principles for Building Energy Modeling and Title-24 Energy Code Compliance through a primer of the Department of Energy (DOE) Modeling platform EnergyPro. |
I wanted to help students understand current energy code requirements and apply them in real time. We created Intro to Energy Pro, which has students practice energy code compliance through their own residential projects." |
Communities of Practice
Energize Colleges facilitates Communities of Practice to empower interdisciplinary faculty and staff members to integrate sustainability into their curriculum and institutionalize sustainability education across campus.
Communities of practice are groups of faculty and/or staff members who engage in the following:
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A collaborative space with which to share and exchange resources and best practices Training sessions on evidence-based research and current sustainability topics to support faculty and/or staff in updating their curriculum and training materials
Presentations from experts in sustainability, energy efficiency, and climate solutions |
Recent PresentationsEnergize Colleges has been delighted to host a number of expert presenters in our Communities of Practice.
Our presenters represent organizations such as Project Drawdown, the Environmental and Natural Resource Technology Center (EARTh Center), the Center for Renewable Energy Advanced Technological Education (CREATE), as well as a number of higher education institutions across the nation. |
"Higher Education's Role in Creating a Green Workforce"
by Elizabeth Bagley, Ph.D. |
"Decarbonization"
by Amanda D. Smith, Ph.D. |
To learn what Academic Projects and Communities of Practice opportunities are currently available, please contact: energizecolleges@seiinc.org
Curriculum Development
To prepare students for climate solution leadership and careers, Energize Colleges develops custom and off-the-shelf versions of university-level curriculum in climate, sustainability, and energy topics. Our team aims to bring quality and accessible education to post-secondary students across the country.
Recent Curriculum ProjectSEI developed the curriculum for E4 Carolinas' innovative Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Energy Leadership Pathway. E4 Carolinas is a leading trade association for energy companies and organizations in the Carolinas.
The Pathway is designed as a transformative means to promote racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in the United States energy industry, beginning with four universities in North and South Carolina and eventually expanding to include an additional 14 HBCUs. Through coursework, connections to industry mentors, and internships, students develop skills preparing them for the energy industry and community leadership, where real institutional change takes place. |
The curriculum modules gave me valuable insight about sustainable career paths and empowered me to pursue a career in the energy industry. I learned to create and innovate, which are skills needed as we transition to clean energy." |
To see what Curriculum Development opportunities are currently available, please contact: energizecolleges@seiinc.org
Climate Career Pathways
Student Internships
Energize Colleges creates student internship positions in collaboration with participating campuses. These paid internships provide students with valuable work experience, deepened knowledge of sustainability topics and issues, and the opportunity to apply their understanding in the real world.
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As an internship, [Energize Colleges] was probably the best one I could have had. It's a wonderful way to introduce you to working ... with education behind it. Energy conservation was top of mind before, but the resources in CANVAS stressed to me the importance of implementing [energy conservation] in every project. Any college students who are looking to get into internships and research, this opportunity would be the best way to do it." |
Fellowships
Energize Colleges offers tailored support to campus sustainability, faculty, and facilities teams through the placement of a talented early career professional in conjunction with our sister program Climate Corps.
As recent graduates looking to transition into employment in the sustainability sector, Fellows will:
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Spend 10 months working full-time at a higher education institution in a role designed by the campus placement organization.
Gain real-world expertise in the climate change field while simultaneously helping campuses address climate and sustainability projects |
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My role as a Higher Education Fellow provided me with invaluable insights into the significance of sustainability efforts in a college setting. This experience not only honed my problem-solving and attention-to-detail skills, but also empowered me to make meaningful contributions to sustainability initiatives. Through my work, I have enhanced my data analysis, communication, and teamwork skills, which have been instrumental in driving positive change at my community college district." |
Fellowship SpotlightClimate Corps is employing the most Fellows in its history, who are all driving forward climate solutions and poised to enter the climate workforce as the next generation of climate leaders.
One such leader is Rachel Pennington, who gained valuable experience supporting environmental initiatives during her 2018-2019 fellowship year at the University of California, Irvine. Rachel was hired at UC Irvine as a program coordinator after her fellowship, where she designed and implemented programming related to renewable energy, zero waste, environmental justice, and local environmental issues. Rachel is now the acting assistant director of energy services at The Energy Coalition. |
Rachel Pennington, 2018-19 Energize Colleges Fellow
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To see what student Internship and Fellowship opportunities are currently available, please contact: energizecolleges@seiinc.org
