Student Impact
The Gonzaga Climate Institute engages Gonzaga students through a variety of classes, projects, and opportunities that enhance and deepen students’ understanding of the climate crisis, solutions, and our role in the Inland Northwest. Students work with the Climate Institute in different ways including:
- Student employees
- The Institute regularly employs a number of students to help support and advance our climate work. Current job opportunities are on our website and ZagsIgnite.
- Academic internships
- Students who work for the Institute often pursue academic credit, allowing them to connect their classroom learning with real world experience. More information on how to enroll in an internship.
- Course partnerships
- The Institute regularly partners with faculty from diverse disciplines, including ENVS 499 Environmental Studies & Sciences Capstone, NURS 468 Practicum, PUBH 101 Introduction to Public Health, PUBH 340 Environment, Climate Change, and Helath and EDTE 206 Community and Place-based Education.
- Faculty-led research
- The Institute regularly publishes the results of its research, often partnering with faculty rom a variety of disciplines (e.g engineering, computer science, education, public health). Students working with the Institute may have a chance to help inform that research or even participate in it as a partner.
Students who engage with the Climate Institute have direct and impactful experiences working with community-based organizations, local government, Tribes, K-12 students, and others. Students gain skills in science communication, professional workplace experience, community engagement, and more.
Student Work
Students who work with the Climate Institute come away with projects, work artifacts, and stories that highlight their work and their meaningful experiences. Some examples of student work include:
- Extreme Heat StoryMap
- Extreme Heat briefing video
- EPA Environmental Education in Spokane
- Smoke Ready Spokane StoryMap
- Climate literacy lesson plans
Featured Alumni
Grace Fletcher - Education and Outreach Coordinator at Waste Management
Climate Literacy Fellow Mentor Class of 2024
"I am working with city governments as well as private local businesses in the greater King and Snohomish county areas to ensure that their recycling, composting, and overall sustainability commitments are met and exceeded. The Climate Institute is what jump started my passion for outreach and community work. Without my experience as a Climate Literacy Fellow, I never would've realized how important and rewarding it is to work face to face with various communities every day. It also unlocked my love for educating and teaching my surrounding community members, which is fantastic in my new position when talking to cities, businesses and residents about the importance a small action can have in the realm of sustainability."
Olivia Hinds - Biologist - United States Geological Survey
Climate Project Assistant Class of 2024
"I work at USGS FRESC (Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center) doing both Data and Delivery (updating fire databases and doing science communication for public access to our work via websites) as well as for the FIREs team that does field research on wildfire ecology as well as soil analysis and vegetation surveys. My time at the Climate Institute made me appreciate how much I need to feel like I am making an impact in my work. There, it was working directly with people in the community, and in my current role it is doing research to directly inform land management decisions via partnerships. In each I get to work alongside a diverse group of people which I have really come to appreciate from a workplace environment."
CJ Kreitlow - BEACON Fellow - SEI Climate Corps
Climate Project Assistant Class of 2025
"I help building owners in the Spokane area meet compliance with the WA Clean Buildings Performance Standard and lower their emissions and energy use. I am hosted by Spokane Colleges and work closely with WA Department of Commerce and other experts to support buildings owners for free, focusing outreach to under resourced buildings and communities. Working at the Climate Institute fostered my passion for community-based work because I was able to experience the rewards of connecting with your community and hearing directly from community members about their needs. Now, I am still able to use these skills and I also get to continue working within Spokane which I really appreciate "
Grace Colburn - Assistant Project Developer - Jesuit Refugee Service
Climate Literacy Fellow Class of 2024
"I am currently residing in the Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya, where I work to support the Deputy Project Director and write materials to be used for applying to grants and for fundraising. My time at the Climate Institute helped me see how much an individual can do to make the world a better place. Through my work with the amazing team at the Institute, I had the opportunity to impact the lives of so many children in Spokane, and now I am working to impact the lives of refugees and refugee children through the JRS-run schools in Kakuma"
