ABOUT THE PROGRAM

This program will provide student sustainability leaders the skills for transformation, systems thinking, community visioning, and action planning. The retreat allows students to develop not just sustainability-related knowledge, but also the values, skills, and attitudes to allow them to be effective facilitators of transformational change and leaders of youth-driven sustainability initiatives on campus and beyond. This experience is a deep dive into what it really means to live, learn, lead, and love sustainability.
It is expected that participants in this program will:

•     Develop an understand of the relationship between sustainability and social justice;
•     Develop an understanding of interdependence (mindfulness, deep ecology);
•     Develop sustainability leadership skills (transformational leadership, facilitation, community visioning, action planning); and
•     Develop a support network and strong sense of community and solidarity with their peers.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The program is a 5.5 day, off-campus residential retreat with approximately 25 participants.  It takes place over the course of two weekends:  Weekend 1 starts on Friday, October 16 and finishes on Sunday, October 18, 2015.  Weekend 2 starts on Friday, November 13 and finishes on Sunday, November 15, 2015. Participation at both weekends is required.  The venue for both weekends is the Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center.  One of the integral parts of this program is our Foodscapes experience, provided by our visiting Eco-Chef Roger Feely. Roger’s menu creations focus on sustainability, culture, and traditional seed-to-plate systems thinking, also known as “made from scratch.” Roger’s cooking features global cuisine using local ingredients, and you should expect a diverse, flavorful, healthy, and primarily vegetarian cuisine for the duration of your stay as well as much dialogue and inquiry into our food systems and culture that will provide a framework for exploring sustainability in our daily lives.

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION

This program is open to all UCI students (2015-2016 academic year) and UCI-affiliated community youth leaders. Applicants must have a proven involvement with sustainability-related issues including social justice, education, and/or actions on or around campus or the wider community. Prior affiliation with one of the sustainability-related student organizations and/or the GSRC is desirable. Criteria for selection include diversity of perspective, activities, and leadership potential. In the event that we have more qualified applicants than space, preference for admission may be given to current UCI students.  If you already applied to SISL 2 over the summer and were accepted, you do not need to reapply.  Simply email sustainability-center@uci.edu to re-confirm your intention to attend both sessions. The online application portal is now open for new applicants and will close Friday, October 9, 2015 at 5 pm.  
All participants will receive a scholarship valued at $1,000, which will cover overnight stay in an off-campus outdoor retreat center, all meals, a free t-shirt, travel to/from campus to the retreat location, workshops, and activities. In order to guarantee your placement in the program, upon acceptance, successful applicants must pay a non-refundable $50 fee and commit to the following:

• Full attendance at both weekends of the event (participants may not come and go during the program and may not choose only one weekend)
• A 2-page written report or blog post upon completion of the experience
• Assist the GSRC as a student co-facilitator at one of our Fall or Winter quarter sustainability programs, trainings, workshops, or other events (dates to be announced in October)