I wanted to pass along an exciting opportunity for undergraduates looking for hands-on experience with clean energy solutions. I serve on the board of a charitable organization called RE-volv  which finances and installs solar projects for nonprofit groups.  RE-volv’s Solar Ambassador Program is a unique opportunity for college students to develop key project management, outreach, and communications skills while tangibly taking action on climate change through solar energy.

Over the course of one academic year, Solar Ambassadors work in teams to identify a nonprofit or co-op near their campus that wants to go solar. The team works with RE-volv to set-up the project and run a crowdfunding campaign to underwrite the solar energy system. RE-volv will provide funding to bring Solar Ambassador team leaders to San Francisco to receive in-depth training in solar energy policy and organizational management so groups can successfully educate community members about solar and advance their project. Additionally, students will be able to participate in webinars with leaders in the environmental and renewable energy fields, giving them a solid foundation to pursue careers in sustainability. A more in-depth description of the program can be found here.

Our current cohort of Solar Ambassadors  includes teams from Villanova University, Swarthmore College, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Dayton, and University of California, Santa Barbara. RE-volv is looking for 5 new teams to join the 2016-2017 cohort.