https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/midewin/home

Campus, Community, National

To strategically promote awareness of Midewin's prairie resoration efforts around Joliet Junior College, and create a relationship between the campus and national tall grass prairie.

Advocacy, Communications/Marketing, Education, Research

The project was executed successfully thanks to my hard working peers and mentors. My personal group quota was not quite met, however 8 people proved to be enough to get the job done. We ended the volunteer day in great spirits, motivated to continue the bond between JJC and Midewin for years to come.

Pounds of recycling increased

Annual prairie volunteer day initiated, promotion successful. Student around campus know more about Midewin's efforts than they did before.

I began my project in October of 2016, and executed my project on April 29th, 2017.

My biggest challanges included promotion, logistics, acquiring devoted volunteers, and orchestrating an event between two large entities (JJC and Midewin). I promoted my project whenever I could, by way of flyers, powerpoint presentations, and word of mouth. In the end, I successfully educated most STEM related students at my school into at least thinking about Midewin. I handled logistical concerns with immediate research. I looked into what it would take to rent a vehicle from campus, and filled out the paperwork to do so. Acquiring enough people was the biggest challenge, and it was the area I fell short in. However, I had just enough people to execute the project, so all was not lost. Adjustments will be made for the future volunteer dates in timing of promotion as well as the demographic I promote to. (More of a faculty focus might produce better results). As far as organizing an event while representing one large entity like a college to another large enity, Midewin, some challenges were met, but quickly overcome. Communication proved to be difficult at first, however after meeting with Midewin personnel face to face, that aspect quickly improved. There was also a good deal of paper work to keep organized.

The JJC Student Sustainability Union, JJC faculty, and some STEM-major students came out to help,

No fundraising was necessary.

I promoted my project by word of mouth, printed flyers around campus, and through presentations at a SMHEC event and at my school's sustainability committee meetings.

Group reflection, Individual reflection, Other

Review with the Midewin workers who helped to make this project possible was done right after the project. Discussion of next year's work day, bringing more people, and the quality of our work this time around were topics that came up during our discussion.

Revised goals, Presented your project results at a conference or meeting, Added new team members with different expertise, Celebrated

I learned the value of other people's time in the college setting. Growing up in a smaller town, college has been an experience like no other for me so far, and one of the things I've had to adjust to is while people have great intentions, it is often very difficult to expect others to spend time they do not necessarily have.

Plan with an experienced adviser, do research on similar projects, and most importantly, know your setting and your work. Have a very clear visual of the project, as this will help you sell it to others who might otherwise ignore it. Also, the old phrase "many hands make a lighter load" is never false, so ask for help.

I plan on being the group liaison for the trip next year, around the same time and hopefully a lot more people. My project was made possible through the JJC student sustainability union, and it is my hope that they see the value in what I'm doing and use their platform to promote a relationship between Midewin and JJC for years to come.