Written by Tia Gaffney, UW-Madison undergraduate & Zero Waste Project Assistant 

As an eager incoming freshman obsessed with all things sustainability, I regularly scoured the Office of Sustainability Instagram for a taste of the opportunities coming my way. One day, I came across a post about a program dedicated to freshmen living in the residence halls.

“Serve as a voice for sustainability in your residence hall and dining unit as a Resident Sustainability Ambassador,” the post said.

I was immediately interested. Before I had even packed up my life and moved away from home for the first time, I applied to and was accepted into the program, not knowing it would alter the trajectory of my academic career.

When I moved into my old yet charming Kronshage dorm room in the fall of my freshman year, I was hopeful for the future ahead, but mostly incredibly uncomfortable in my new surroundings. However, when I met with Malorie Garbe, Housing Sustainability Coordinator and RSA Program Administrator, I began to feel my roots taking shape in my new home.

A few days after moving in, I took the long walk to Smith Hall, using Google Maps as my guide, and met Malorie in her bright office, not knowing I would work with her for years to come. As she explained how the program works and what the semester will look like, my anxiety gave way to excitement about being part of a community of like-minded people.

The Resident Sustainability Ambassador Program (RSA) is administered by University Housing. It provides an opportunity for first-year students to gain sustainability experience from campus leaders while working on impactful projects in waste reduction, sustainable food, and outreach. Each RSA represents their residence hall as the official ambassador of sustainability for their housing unit. As a cohort, the RSAs learn the ins and outs of sustainability at UW–Madison and work on advancing the institutional sustainability goals. RSAs organize events and outreach opportunities to facilitate a community dedicated to sustainability. RSAs can also earn their Leadership Certificate within two semesters of participation in the program.

Each week, RSAs meet to learn about a topic on campus sustainability. From energy use in the residence halls to food waste in the dining facilities, RSAs gain an understanding of the inner workings of their daily life from campus sustainability professionals.

Aside from educational meetings, RSAs are active participants in sustainability initiatives on campus. They administer regular food waste audits in the dining halls to assess how much food is being wasted and why. With this data, UW Dining adjusts its food purchasing and menu planning to reduce food waste in the dining halls.

One week during my first semester, we RSAs learned about zero waste. Campus Resource Coordinator Travis Blomberg came to our regular meeting space in the Gordon Event Center and spoke about UW’s goal of becoming a zero-waste campus by 2040. A few weeks later, zero waste project assistants, Sam Totzke ‘27 and Carolyn Shumaker ‘25, attended our meeting to discuss collaborative tabling for the Zero Waste Compass and their new project assistant job opening. They described their job as flexible and educational, and strongly recommended that each of us apply. I was intrigued and began my application later that evening.

After a few rounds of interviewing, I was accepted onto the Zero Waste Team along with my fellow RSA, Kaavya Ahuja ‘28. I suspected that the RSA program had played a big role in my hire. It had given me a strong foundation of knowledge and a large network of campus sustainability connections. Later, my suspicion was confirmed. I learned that the RSA-to-Office of Sustainability (OS) pipeline is strong; since the first cohort in 2021, seven RSAs have gone on to work for the OS.

“So many RSAs have gone on to hold internships and positions in labs, environmental consulting firms, and leadership positions in student organizations, including Anna Silverman ‘25, who became the student Housing Sustainability Coordinator for 2.5 years,” said Malorie.

By the end of my first semester in the RSA program, I had learned extensively about UW–Madison’s sustainable operations, made meaningful connections with my peers and campus professionals, and even secured a new job. I went home for winter break satisfied and excited for the semesters to come.

During their second semester, RSAs work collaboratively on a Green Fund proposal to advance sustainability in Housing and Dining. This past year, the RSAs proposed a Housing Thrift Store, Mad Thrifts, that received funding for spring 2027. The store will start as an online-and-swap model and may eventually expand into a physical space as interest grows. My 2024-25 RSA cohort helped with the compost cart washer and the MaetaData Green Fund projects, which aim to improve composting and sustainable purchasing efforts in Dining & Culinary Services. Not only was this a great experience in grant writing and professional collaboration, but the work will continue to make tangible differences on campus for years to come.

One of the student program administrators, Seri Sanches ‘27, told me about a program called the Community Environmental Scholars Program (CESP) during my second semester as an RSA. She explained that it is similar to the RSA program in that it facilitates connections and community within the sustainability sector. I applied for the program through the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WISH) and was later accepted. In the fall, I’ll begin my third semester in CESP, and so far, I have developed incredible on- and off-campus connections and personal friendships through the program. Because of CESP, I now volunteer regularly at FairShare CSA Coalition and have been actively involved in organizing this fall’s Bike the Barns event. I have also met incredible students and faculty in the program, including Colleen Henegan, a Nelson Institute PhD candidate and my all-time favorite yoga teacher (check out her classes at Dragonfly!).  All thanks to the seeds that were planted during my time as an RSA.

One of my favorite memories from the RSA program was a volunteering session at the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Early on a Saturday morning, we gathered at Picnic Point to remove invasive species from the area. For a few hours, we cut buckthorn in the cool March breeze. It was one of the first warmer days of the season, and we were excited to spend some time outside. At this point in the year, we had all gotten to know each other quite well, so it was fun to climb through trees and bushes and giggle as we learned how to use our cutting tools. Especially during my freshman year, when my sense of home was upended and my roots on campus were just beginning to grow, it was reassuring to meet with a consistent group of peers and mentors throughout the year. It made me feel more at home.

Today, I no longer live in the residence halls, nor do I need to refer to Google Maps to get to Smith Hall. I am entering my fourth semester working for the Office of Sustainability’s Zero Waste Team, which has been one of my favorite experiences at UW–Madison thus far. It has allowed me to continue and expand upon the professional development and relationships I began during my time in RSA. I’m entering my third semester in CESP as co-social media coordinator and a regular volunteer for FairShare CSA Coalition.

I consider the RSA program to be the seeds of my involvement in sustainability at UW–Madison. It taught me that making connections of all kinds is the most impactful avenue for personal and professional development.

The RSA program is looking for first-years to join for the 2026-27 school year. To learn more, you can visit their website. Students can apply using for the 2026–27 cohort through Wednesday, September 16, 2026. For further questions, please contact sustainability@housing.wisc.edu.