Developed at UCI, the Student Leadership Institute for Climate Resilience (SLICR) provides participants with an overview of some of the major challenges and opportunities we face in building community climate resilience, as well as tools for action.

The program introduced a select cohort of students to:

• Ways that climate change, racism and all social injustice, economic inequality, and our challenged democracy are connected;
• Leadership skills that develop inner awareness and awareness of the interdependence of all life;
• Key concepts and tools for changing systems and cultures such as intersectionality, decolonization, cultural narratives, collaborative problem solving, and systems thinking; and
• Key concepts and tools for assessing and addressing one’s own ecological footprint in the context of our communities.

In so doing, students:

• Gained first-hand experience of UCI’s sustainability landscape; including our campus’ carbon neutrality, sustainability, food action, and environmental justice communities;
• Connected with sustainability youth leaders on campus, including SLICR alumni, and community leaders;
• Connected with student opportunities in research, education, and community engagement; and
• Developed ‘next-steps’ regarding their place as sustainability and social justice leaders on campus.

Background

The institute has its roots in UCI’s Student Institute for Sustainability Leadership (SISL). Many SISL alumni have gone on to become key campus leaders in these areas and have shaped their academic pursuits accordingly. With SLICR training happening across multiple UC campuses, a UC-wide cohort of transformative change makers is emerging. We invite you to become part of it. Learn more about the SISL experience in previous years here: SISL 2013, SISL 2014, SISL 2015, SISL 2016, SISL 2017, and SISL 2018.