Ready to join Reed’s sustainability efforts and be part of a group that’s dedicated to environmental justice? Whether it’s harvesting plants from the garden, cleaning up the canyon, or sharing environmental humanities research, the SEJ Collective fosters a community committed to the cause.
Student Engagement Opportunities
Sustainability Leadership Program
The Sustainability Leadership Program empowers students to drive meaningful change on campus through independent projects and collaborative initiatives. As paid interns, students gain hands-on experience in sustainability practice, project management, and community engagement while working on key areas such as waste reduction and creative reuse, gardening and food production, and transportation. Interns also play a vital role in campus-wide events, including orientation, Paideia, Earth Week, and student move-out. Through mentorship, training, and leadership development, participants learn to set achievable goals, engage their peers, and foster a culture of sustainability.
EcoCinema Series
Movies are shown every other Monday and are open to all Reed students. The watch list includes a wide variety of films and genres that interrogate human-nature relationship, animal identities, and land use. Many of the films are co-hosted with academic departments, and the SEJ scholar facilitates a short discussion afterwards. Join for any and all! View our event calendar for upcoming dates.
Work in the Garden
Are you interested in getting involved with Reed’s community garden (located on SE 28th Avenue, across from the farmstand)? There are several ways to participate! We host regular work parties, where students can come and lend a hand for whatever work is needed. In the past, this has been everything from harvesting pumpkins and squash, to adding compost to the garden beds, to installing a drip irrigation system.
If you are interested in more long-term garden work, consider applying to the Sustainability Leadership Program.
Thesis Collective
The SEJ Collective Thesis Group brings together students whose academic writing and research engage with our relationship to place and environment across a range of disciplines. For more information, visit our academic connections page.
Collaborate with Us
Want to partner with the SEJ Collective on a sustainability-focused event or program on campus? We’re excited to learn more! Please submit your request via our collaboration form.
Annual Events
Canyon Day
One of Reed’s oldest traditions, Canyon Day is an annual opportunity for students to engage with the ecology of the campus. Each spring, Reed community members gather to participate in maintenance of the canyon. Historically, this maintenance has taken many forms, including attempts to turn the natural area into a park. Since the canyon’s restoration as a nature preserve and a haven of native species, Canyon Day work now consists mostly of removal of invasive species (ivy in particular) and planting of natives. Tools and training are provided, as well as snacks and live music.
Earth Day
Every spring at Reed, in acknowledgement of the importance of our environment, SEJ hosts an Earth Day celebration in collaboration with the office of conference and events planning. Come to this event for local food, live music, and networking with environmental organizations from around Portland.