MISSION STATEMENT: The Sustainable Philadelphia Alliance of Regional Campuses (SPARC) was
launched in January 2014 to promote collaboration among sustainability groups
from Philadelphia-area colleges and universities. SPARC seeks to provide a
platform for communication and resource-sharing to improve students’ impact on
the sustainability of their campuses.
STUDENT FELLOWS
Student fellows are sustainability leaders at their college or university and have a desire to get involved in the programming behind SPARC. They are well connected within the sustainability landscape of their university and are experienced in leading sustainability groups or initiatives on and off campus. Each fellow leads a working group on a topic of their choice. Terms last one year with the option to reapply.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Advisory board members provide important insight as well as connections to the wider Philadelphia community. Members are in a unique position to influence the sustainability of campuses around Philadelphia along with networking and the potential for recruiting students into their organizations as volunteers or interns. Advisory Board Members are expected to be interested in working with SPARC for multiple years to provide continuity for a primarily student-focused group where turnover is inevitable every few years.
Student fellows are sustainability leaders at their college or university and have a desire to get involved in the programming behind SPARC. They are well connected within the sustainability landscape of their university and are experienced in leading sustainability groups or initiatives on and off campus. Each fellow leads a working group on a topic of their choice. Terms last one year with the option to reapply.
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Advisory board members provide important insight as well as connections to the wider Philadelphia community. Members are in a unique position to influence the sustainability of campuses around Philadelphia along with networking and the potential for recruiting students into their organizations as volunteers or interns. Advisory Board Members are expected to be interested in working with SPARC for multiple years to provide continuity for a primarily student-focused group where turnover is inevitable every few years.
2015-2016 SPARC Fellows
Nicole Matthesen
Community College of Philadelphia As a passionate advocate for the environment, Nicole’s working toward a degree in environmental studies with a focus in sustainability and marine conservation. Her previous education at Hussian School of Art has enabled her to approach environmental issues with a creative lens. At Community College of Philadelphia, she’s been involved in the Green Cycle Alliance Club, which focuses on green initiatives at campus by promoting sustainable solutions and community involvement. She’s working with students to help them rethink their footprint and plan creative ways to encourage stewardship.
Additionally, Nicole recently took the opportunity to partake in a study abroad program in Belize with a focus on tropical ecology, where she gained field experience studying wildlife, forest, and marine ecology, as well as saw firsthand how sustainable development is being addressed. She’s also involved locally with The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association as a trained Citizen Scientist (Creek Watcher) who regularly monitors a section of the creek with the shared goal of improving the water quality and helping to restore the watershed in the Philadelphia area. Empowering people to create and discover ways to live a sustainable lifestyle encompasses Nicole’s vision for the future. Eliza Nobles
Drexel University Eliza Nobles is a sophomore at Drexel University. She is studying Environmental Engineering, with which she hopes to help establish innovative solutions to environmental problems, especially regarding energy use and natural resources.
As a freshman, Eliza was president of the chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration at Paul Smith’s College, leading a wetland restoration project. She was also involved with local watershed research. Her interests in research led her to conduct independent research at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and she has presented the findings of this research at national conferences. In Philadelphia, Eliza plans to advance her studies of the environment, as well as to assist the implementation of sustainable practices on campus and in the community. She is currently a member of the Drexel Energy Club and the Drexel Naturalists’ Association, with a goal of working with more Drexel environmental and humanitarian groups as the school year commences. |
Sarah Burns
University of Pennsylvania Sarah Burns is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Japanese. She combines her love for cooking, children, the environment, and learning about other cultures in the organizations she is involved with at Penn, which include iCARE, PennWorld, and the Penn Haven Housing Co-op. Within the environment, Sarah is most passionate about the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy and sustainable business practices because she believes that it can make a large difference in mitigating climate change. Her passion for the environment has lead her on adventures all around the world, such as in Iceland with the Philadelphia-based GREEN Program and in Japan on an organic orange farm. Sarah’s interest in environmental policy and science has also led her to work for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and Environment Virginia.
She desires to continue her environmental work within a career that will allow her to make a significant positive change for the future. Isabella Reginato
Drexel University Isabella is now entering her second year at Drexel University as part of her undergraduate career, studying Environmental Science. As a strong advocate of the sustainable lifestyle, it is both a daily and long term aim of Isabella's to promote those around her to shift towards an eco-conscious attitude. Through a multitude of events and programs she has remained involved in the actions necessary to preserve our surrounding environment and wildlife alike.
She has spent time volunteering at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, to researching both fresh water and sea turtles across the globe, and most recently finishing a two-month research project in Antofagasta, Chile studying both fungi and bacteria native to the country. Any opportunities she finds to spend outside she is there, whether it be horseback riding, hiking or out on a bike ride. And as a new member of SPARC, Isabella plans to continue from where she left off and do all she can to encourage her fellow students at Drexel, and other universities in the surrounding area, to begin taking the steps necessary to build a more green and efficiently-run campus. |
TESTIMONALS FROM FELLOWS AND ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
"SPARC is a great organization that connects students and professionals from different universities around the topic of sustainability. It allows universities to keep up to date with each other on what they are doing to further sustainability at their respective campuses. It is also a platform from which universities can educate and help improve other universities' actions to implement sustainability."
-William Scheirer, Student Fellow 2014 - 2015, Temple University
"SPARC is an awesome way to collaborate with other young, forward thinking University students. If you're interested in having engaging conversations about sustainability, the environment and urbanism, this is the place to be!"
-Lindsay Bushong, Student Fellow 2014 - 2015, Drexel University
"SPARC is a wonderful opportunity for students and professionals from diverse backgrounds to collaborate and create sustainability initiatives!"
-Charlotte Ahern, Student Fellow 2014 - 2015, Villanova University
"For any Philadelphia students interested in sustainability or related initiatives, there is no better group than SPARC for collaboration. By bringing together both students and professionals interested in these topics, there is endless opportunity for resource sharing, networking, and even just socialization with other members who share the same interests. Join us as we work toward more sustainable campuses and a greener Philadelphia!"
-Shannon Macika, Advisory Board Member, Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger
-William Scheirer, Student Fellow 2014 - 2015, Temple University
"SPARC is an awesome way to collaborate with other young, forward thinking University students. If you're interested in having engaging conversations about sustainability, the environment and urbanism, this is the place to be!"
-Lindsay Bushong, Student Fellow 2014 - 2015, Drexel University
"SPARC is a wonderful opportunity for students and professionals from diverse backgrounds to collaborate and create sustainability initiatives!"
-Charlotte Ahern, Student Fellow 2014 - 2015, Villanova University
"For any Philadelphia students interested in sustainability or related initiatives, there is no better group than SPARC for collaboration. By bringing together both students and professionals interested in these topics, there is endless opportunity for resource sharing, networking, and even just socialization with other members who share the same interests. Join us as we work toward more sustainable campuses and a greener Philadelphia!"
-Shannon Macika, Advisory Board Member, Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger
SPARC Advisory Board Members
Nicole Koedyker
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Nicole's life and career is dedicated preserving our planet for future generations so much of her spare time is spent learning about various environmental issues and social responsibility initiatives and engaging with others who share similar interests.
Nicole is the co-founder of Forsei Consulting and has experience in startups, B Corps, and sustainable business consulting. |
Shannon Macika
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Brady Halligan
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Lisa Shulock
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Neil Trenk
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Lindsay Bushong
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Christian Behl
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Sara Allan
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