SP0325: Student Sustainability Network Meets SPF

Our project aims to bring together members of the Student Sustainability Network (SSN), interested members of the McGill community (students, staff, and faculty), as well as SPF Ambassadors (volunteers with the McGill Office of Sustainability) into a welcoming and productive space. This project (i.e., event) will ensure that attendees gain a thorough understanding of the SPF and that they have time to connect with each other using this new (or reinforced) understanding of the SPF. While the event is open to all members of the McGill community, we have specifically highlighted the SSN in this application because this group expressed their interest in participating in an in-person event (during a previous meeting in the Fall 2022 semester), and we quickly realized that this group of undergraduate and graduate students could act as a catalyst to initiate SPF projects among each other and with other members of the McGill community.

Accordingly, we have divided the project into two stages. In the event planning stage, we will schedule an online meeting via Zoom with the SSN before the event, both to solicit their suggestions and feedback on the format of the event as well as to encourage them to start thinking about the types of ideas that they would like discuss with potential collaborators (i.e., any other attendees) at the event. During this initial meeting, we will convey to SSN members that all levels of ideas are welcome at the event, from fully planned projects to early thoughts. The second stage represents the event itself. During the event, we will allot 1.5 hours for attendees to speak (in a 'speed dating' format) about who they are (which student club they represent) and what their SPF project idea(s) might be. SPF Ambassadors will present the SPF at the start of the event and 'float' during the event to answer questions. Even if an attendee does not have an idea, simply conveying their background to another individual might be sufficient for sparking a worthwhile SPF project. After this first part of the event, when attendees have hopefully become more familiar with one another, the remaining 1.5 hours of the event will simply be designated for networking.

SPF funds will be used to rent a room (such as Thomson House Ballroom) for 3 hours, food, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and for renting any other equipment as needed. All the food will be vegetarian/vegan with some gluten-free options. We intend to certify this event through the Sustainable Events Certification process. Altogether, attendees will participate in an event on McGill campus that is not only visibly sustainable (with signage), but the connections they make here will continue to cultivate sustainble change at McGill.