Featured Student: Ellie Bach
As the last few weeks of summer waned, I daydreamed about the start of college at CU. Both the big things, like classes and new friends, and the little ones, like dorm decorations and hanging out on the Farrand lawn, excited me endlessly. At this point in the summer, I already knew exactly how to get to my astronomy class, had bonded with my roommate over texts about our love of reggae, and had picked up a house plant for my dorm room. In most ways imaginable, I was completely set for school to begin. Yet, I felt like something was missing.
I was part of a completely new generation of students joining CU’s already robust and radical student body. That fact alone felt like an accomplishment in and of itself, and I knew I was extremely privileged to be given the opportunity to earn an education at CU. As the first day of classes drew nearer, and this reality dawned on me more, I wondered what I would do with this opportunity as an undergraduate. Would I just blend in with the masses of the freshman class? Or would I make a mark on CU that would outlive my college career?
I decided that I wanted to use my individuality and my voice to contribute to positive change on-campus and in Boulder at large.
I distinctly remember searching the internet for an environmental group at CU. When I stumbled upon The Environmental Center, one of the six original CU student government centers and “the nation’s longest-standing, largest, and most accomplished student-led centers of its kind,” I knew I had found a community that I could create tangible change with. I applied for a job immediately, had an interview the week school began, and was hired just after.
The center, founded by students in 1970, exists to “catalyze and facilitate sustainability culture and practices for the campus,” and work toward, “environmental conservation, social equity and economic vitality,” through innovation, collaboration, education and empowerment. Every staff member, student, volunteer, and intern at the center embodies this mission, and because of my involvement with The Environmental Center I’ve had the privilege of connecting with so many driven, caring, and brilliant people that I likely wouldn’t have met otherwise. From film screenings, workshops, and discussions, to speeches given by world-renowned individuals like Vandana Shiva, performances, and unique events — everything the center brings to campus fosters growth and compassion, and provides a mechanism for mindful youth to learn about and take action on the most pressing environmental and social justice issues of our time.
At a school as massive, and at times overwhelming, as CU Boulder, it helps to find a group of people who share your interests and your energy. When reminiscing on the days just before college began, I can’t help but smile when I think about the journey that simple, intuitive internet search put me on, the on-campus family it brought into my life and the purpose it has provided me with during my college career. The best part? The ECenter is always eager to welcome even more Buffs — of all ages, majors, and backgrounds — to its diverse and dynamic community.
To find out more about The Environmental Center, and opportunities for getting involved, check out: https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/
Ellie Bach is a sophomore at the University of Colorado Boulder and is studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO), Environmental Studies, and Global Environmental Affairs (certificate program). She works on the Energy Outreach team at The Environmental Center, is a research assistant in the Kane/Doak lab within the EBIO department, and an honors scholars candidate.