I first heard about Net Impact through my professor Dr. James Pappas in the fall of 2012. I was hooked, and I recall thinking “give me a role, please!” Net Impact had just launched a new program, the Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge. I became an early adopter and helped develop the program. In the first semester, Oklahoma State University (OSU) received fourth place. I went to my first Net Impact conference, and I became president of my undergrad Net Impact chapter.
Since then, Small Steps, Big Wins has been a game-changing piece of our efforts to make OSU more sustainable. Our OSU Net Impact chapter has seen many ups and a few downs. We worked with the administration to put clothes lines in the dorms that were later removed due to safety concerns, for example. And we installed hydration stations and recycling throughout campus. More than 700 students have participated in Small Steps, Big Wins at OSU. Net Impact has changed the way we think about sustainability, and it's changed me, providing more opportunities than I ever imagined.
A big opportunity
As last year's Campus Director, I won an amazing prize through Small Steps, Big Wins – the opportunity to participate in Corkscrew’s entrepreneur generator program in the United Kingdom. I gained business skills, developed my creative confidence, and started a business. As part of the program, I developed a website for an online business called STANDOUT, where students age 14-19 could get help with resumes, interviews, and developing a personal brand. Corkscrew is more than a program – it's a family. I worked with an international cohort from countries such as Ireland, Spain, China, and Germany and made lifelong friends who have inspired me to redouble my efforts to make a difference.
So what's next?
I will apply what Corkscrew taught me to launch more successful movements within Net Impact and beyond. I graduate in December and am holding potential employers to tough ethical standards. Net Impact and Corkscrew both have inspired me to be a catalyst for change, today and in my future.
Editor’s note: The Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge is an international undergraduate competition where students compete to make the most collective social and environmental impact through taking small, simple actions, like riding a bike or learning about human trafficking, and recording them online.
We are still looking for great Campus Directors for this upcoming year – learn more and apply here.