Johns Hopkins University Office of Sustainability logo

STUDENT
OPPORTUNITIES

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

There are a multitude of student organizations and clubs that focus on different issues and areas of opportunity on campus, within the Baltimore region, and beyond. These span the various Johns Hopkins campuses. All community service, service-learning, and civic engagement is housed in the Center for Social Concern at the Homewood campus and at the Student Outreach Resource Center (SOURCE) in East Baltimore.

CAMPUS-SPECIFIC CLUBS

SHIP is an innovative student organization in which students identify, promote, and carry out sustainability initiatives at Johns Hopkins. 

Blue Jay’s Perch grows flowers and vegetables in a chemical-free environment on the property at Johns Hopkins’ Eastern Campus. Surplus food from the garden is donated to Campus Kitchens who prepares and provides meals for hungry men and women in Baltimore City. 

Real Food Hopkins is a student-run chapter of the Real Food Challenge committed to bringing local, sustainable, humane, and fair food to the Johns Hopkins campus.

Engineers Without Borders partners with disadvantaged communities to improve their quality of life through implementation of environmentally and economically sustainable engineering projects.

Alliance for Clean Water works towards the vision of clean water for everyone by providing an outlet for student outreach in Baltimore and promoting the value of clean water.

Refuel Our Future‘s mission is to protect public health by divesting from fossil fuel companies.

Students for Environmental Action is a group that promotes environmental advocacy, outreach, and awareness on the Homewood campus.

SGA Health, Safety, and Sustainability Committee aims to promote sustainable practices on campus and advance the interests of the student body with respect to campus developments and facilities usage.

Experiential Education offers fun outdoor trips to students in order to encourage the exploration of nature and to foster environmental stewardship in participants.

Hopkins Eco-Collective is an organization of Public Health graduate students that works to promote and advocate for environmentally sustainable practices at JHSPH.

Hopkins Environmental Resourcefulness and Botanical Society (HERBS) focuses on the improvement of the Hopkins Students’ Community Gardens.

Net Impact is a student organization affiliated with the global Net Impact organization “A global network of leaders who are changing the world through business.“ Their local mission is to provide education to their members and the local business community on socially sound, economically just, and environmentally sustainable business practices.

The Blue Jay’s Perch Community Garden at Eastern is a space for Johns Hopkins students, faculty, and staff to join community members to learn and practice safe and environmentally sustainable food production.

Hopkins Cycling is a student club focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle of bicycle riding and racing. Club membership is open to all Hopkins students, faculty, and staff from all divisions of JHU and includes cyclists from all backgrounds, disciplines, and fitness levels.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

The Office of Sustainability hires students for the summer and fall and spring semesters. We offer a variety of roles, such as our Eco-Reps and Sustainability Interns. Eco-Reps are undergraduate students responsible for peer-to-peer engagement on the Homewood Campus by organizing and hosting events and fields trips. Sustainability Interns work in the Office, located in the Facilities and Real Estate Department at the Keswick building, to develop promotional materials, assist with research, and enhance communication efforts through social media and the Office of Sustainability’s website. 

Each role is intended to help students explore and apply their passion for sustainability, while also honing in on and advancing their organizational, time management, and project management skills. 

GREEN LEAD

The “Green Lead: Whole Impact Training” program provides a volunteer, professional development opportunity for Johns Hopkins University first year students on the Homewood campus that: introduces them to campus sustainability programs and initiatives; exposes them to critical concepts in behavior change and strategic project management; fosters a network of like-minded peers who can leverage each other’s potential to engage their peers; and equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to be effective change agents and leaders on campus and beyond. This program takes places in the spring semester once a week, and is completely voluntary. 

Green Lead 2019

ACADEMIC RESOURCES

There are a number of academic departments that support the research and advancement of sustainability. These include Environmental Sciences and Studies, Environmental Engineering and Health, Center for a Livable Future, Environmental Health Institute, Global Food Ethics and Policy Program and the Water Institute, and several more.

The JHU Office of Study Abroad offers several programs related to sustainability. These include an Intersession trip to the Galapagos Islands and studying ocean sciences in Bermuda, among others.