Turning Environmental Passion into Action

Although most students have gone home for the summer, Enogie Omoregbee ’21 and Christopher Hart ’19 are sticking around to make the campus a greener, more environmentally friendly place.

The two students are interning for Brian Hansen, Hamilton’s director of environmental protection safety and sustainability.                                                           

 Omoregbee’s and Hart’s projects are aimed at implementing more sustainable practices on campus—ultimately to reach the goal of making Hamilton College carbon neutral by 2050. At a reforestation effort last spring, they planted over 600 trees at the local golf course.

This summer, sustainability interns are leading by example. They’re working hands-on in the community farm, building pollinator gardens, and working at reforestation sites around Clinton.

“We’re trying to get more people involved,” said Omoregbee. “I think a lot of people want to get involved in environmental activism or sustainability work, but they’re not sure how to get started. It’s all about making this a part of the campus culture.”

As a part of their initiative, they met with departments all across campus. “We interact with so many different parts of campus,” said Hart. “In one moment, we’re meeting with Facilities Management, in another we’re meeting with the Biology Department, and then the Communications Department. We’re weaving together different parts of Hamilton so that we know we’re doing it right and speaking for the community.”

While the interns are here only for two months during the summer, their projects will be continuing into the following academic year. They hope to revitalize the community farm for use by student and faculty volunteers, as well as to organize more reforestation efforts near campus.

Omoregbee was drawn to this internship due to a sense of environmental responsibility. “My dad always told me, if you see a problem and you say there’s a problem—you have to have an idea of how to fix it. There’s always more you can push for. We have to keep asking questions and keep pressing for more,” she said.

After graduation, Hart hopes to use his internship experience toward a career in nutrition and agriculture. “I found it really rewarding to watch things grow and unfold,” he said. “I’d love to continue in something where I can see the concrete effects of our sustainability efforts and watch the world become a better place.

As a government major, Omoregbee plans on taking this experience to law school, where she hopes to advocate for better sustainability practices as an environmental lawyer.

From this internship, Omoregbee learned more than just career-related skills. “I think the most important thing I learned was how easy it is to be a part of environmental work. Everyone on campus can make a difference, and I think everyone wants to come together to achieve something. Don’t hesitate to get started and get involved.