Environmental sustainability awareness is at the forefront in the month of April, with the Earth Day and Arbor Day holidays, but for IU South Bend senior Cameron Kincaid, it is particularly meaningful this year as it is his last month before graduating. As a student worker in the sustainability department, Cameron has been dedicated to campus sustainability initiatives by helping plan projects, create and promote events, coordinate with the sustainability student club, as well as being hands-on in maintaining the campus Unity Garden and beehives. We want to keep sustainability alive on campus and get more students engaged on campus, explains Cameron. Before I leave and go on to the next chapter, I want to do everything I can to make sure the sustainability department can continue to thrive.
One of the environmental initiatives Cameron has found most rewarding during his time at IU South Bend is the Tops Off plastic bottle top collection, in which the campus community was asked to separate the lids from plastic bottles so they could be recycled appropriately. It is such a minor thing, collecting plastic bottle caps, but people really became involved, explains Cameron. It always feels good informing people what they can do - they often don’t realize you can do really small, miniscule things to be a more sustainable person.
Cameron’s passion for the environment is what led him to major in criminal justice, with a minor in sustainability studies. He plans to continue to law school after graduating so he can pursue a career related to environmental law. Anything that has to do with law and the protection of the environment would be ideal for me, says Cameron.
As Cameron reflects on his time at IU South Bend, he finds that being involved in campus life positively impacted his experience. Each day that goes by and I get closer to graduation, it’s going to be done in the blink of an eye before I know it. Freshman year me would never have expected the connections I have made. His advice to younger college students is to take advantage of as many opportunities they come across as possible. Your college experience is going to be better the more you are involved and the more care you put into it. Stay connected with people, try new things, and step out of your comfort zone.
