In an effort to increase climate education, students and educators at the University
of South Florida (±«Óătv) are spearheading a campuswide event to raise awareness and
accessibility for sustainability solutions. With a week-long series of events across
the ±«Óătv Tampa campus, students will have the opportunity to educate each other about
the challenges caused by a changing climate and develop interdisciplinary connections
that will help them work towards tangible solutions.
Part of the originally founded by Bard College in 2019, the ±«Óătv Climate Teach-In is built on
cross-campus partnerships with over 18 student environmental organizations and the
Judy Genshaft Honors College, working together to host an array of events.
Now in its third year, the Climate Teach-In concept was introduced to ±«Óătv by Judy
Genshaft Honors College faculty member Dr. Andrew Hargrove, who serves as the ±«Óătv
director of the initiative.
A sustainability expert who teaches Honors courses like “How to Save a Planet” and
“Solarpunk: Imagining Sustainable Futures” in which students engage with scientific
literature or art to learn how to overcome feelings of powerlessness in the face of
problems like climate change, Hargrove stresses the importance of inclusion and cooperation
when it comes to climate education.
“There’s no discipline that isn’t touched by the environment and sustainability because
we live in our environment, we live in our world,” said Hargrove.
Initially an effort led by the Hargrove and staff in the Honors College, the Climate
Teach-In has evolved to incorporate events and activities designed by students from
across ±«Óătv.
“We have events like the Off the Wall art gallery, campus cleanups, a student research
fair, a career and internship fair ... We have crafts, labs, cooking demos, a crocheting
event where you can learn to crochet with recycled plastic bags, a farmers’ market
and even a 5k run,” said Hargrove. “We really want this event to feel like it’s by
students and for students, to amplify the good work that these student organizations
are already doing.”
CULTIVATING STUDENT LEADERS
One of the Climate Teach-In's event organizers is Honors student Morgan Mathews. An
environmental science and policy student in the College of Arts and Sciences School
of Geosciences, Mathews is also the president of GLOBE (Global Leaders Outreach for
a Better Environment), a student organization dedicated to environmental advocacy
and service projects on and off campus.
Under Mathews leadership, GLOBE will be an active participant in this year’s Teach-In,
teaming up with the ±«Óătv Marine Biology Club and Tampa Bay Watch to lead a microplastics
lab which will offer students insight into the impact microplastics have on our health
and daily lives.
“We are really big on having an educational aspect and a hands-on aspect to each of
our events,” said Mathews. “This semester we are focusing on wildlife, ecology, and
restoration.”
Professor Andrew Hargrove and Honors student Morgan Mathews
For Mathews, GLOBE’s increased involvement in the Climate Teach-In was a natural fit
and one that mirrored her own climate education journey.
“I got involved my freshman year as a general member and the president at the time
was a really great mentor,” said Mathews.
This experience led her to start her own recycling project on campus and to work to
pass a resolution through student government that demonstrated students were supportive
of improving ±«Óătv infrastructure.
Mathews attributes her heightened involvement in climate advocacy efforts to her involvement
in the Honors College and to her experience as part of the “Systems of Sustainability”
study away course in the spring of 2023.
“We really want to open this up to anybody from any major.” – Honors Professor Dr. Andrew Hargrove
During this course, she met Professor Hargrove, who encouraged her to expand her sustainability
efforts in more interdisciplinary and collaborative ways.
“Dr. Hargrove reached out to me and my organization and I immediately wanted to get
involved,” said Mathews. “I am open to any collaboration with any student organizations,
and this was the next step to participate in a campuswide event.”
SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN REACH
The student-run events during the Climate Teach-In will help remove barriers for students
as it brings them together to actively participate in open dialogues with assistance
from experts in the field.
“It’s trying to teach people in a more casual setting how to engage with this big
problem. It’s hard for people to have these conversations because maybe they don’t
feel that they have the knowledge or they don’t feel comfortable doing things because
they don’t know how effective it’s going to be,” said Hargrove. “This is a space for
students to come and learn and engage in a conversation and just try things out and
see what works.“
According to Matthews, one of the most important features of the Teach-In is how accessible
all of the events are.
“I suggest going to a couple of events that you are interested in, each one is meant
to be fun and engaging and you get to meet new people,” said Mathews.
Ultimately, the goal of the Climate Teach-In is to inspire collective action that
can make a greater impact. Hargrove knows the only way to make a difference is to
work together:
“One thing that’s really important that we’re trying to emphasize with the Climate
Teach-In is that it takes everybody to solve a global problem, and that this isn’t
just the responsibility of environmental scientists, legislators or people who own
major corporations,” said Hargrove. “This is about everybody. So whatever group or
student organization you’re a part of, there is a way where your expertise or your
interest can contribute to building a more sustainable future.”
Interested students and ±«Óătv community members can visit the 2024 ±«Óătv Climate Teach-In webpage for a full list of this year’s events and information on how to get involved on and
off campus.
