Amid the academic transformation Drexel University is undergoing, including the restructuring of schools and transitioning to a semester schedule, various advocacy groups are working to communicate their goals to the administration. Sustainable Just Future Drexel, a student-led organization, is advocating for a climate change course requirement among the common core curriculum changes.
This goal is not new among higher education institutions in Pennsylvania. Dickinson College in Carlisle implemented a sustainability course requirement in 2016.
However, in this everchanging century, some schools are choosing to focus on other newfound academic fields, such as Artificial Intelligence. SUNY schools have added ethical AI usage courses to their general literacy requirement.
To measure interest in environmental education among Drexel students, SJF is conducting a survey.
“The data-driven aspect is the most crucial,” says Alyssa Kemp, SJF’s co-founder and co-leader.
While other groups propose course requirements such as AI knowledge, Kemp argues these are following “nationwide trends,” while SJF aims to reflect the true needs of Drexel students.
However, the organization has encountered what Kemp refers to as “unspoken competition” with these programs, which can make it harder to gain traction.
The foundation of SJF’s work is the belief that “all careers are climate change careers.”
Kemp stresses that climate change is already impacting students and will continue to do so: “The best thing you can do is gain the knowledge to prepare yourself.”
In their third year, Kemp recognized a gap in their understanding of climate change despite working toward a degree in environmental engineering. In response, they partnered with Alex Ashley to create workshops focused on solar energy equity and sustainable development.
“We realized we needed a university-wide, top-down approach,” Kemp said.
Kemp and Ashley applied for the Second Nature grant, which offers students paid opportunities to work with the program. Since then, Kemp has collaborated with co-leader Victoria Rodriguez to hire five undergraduate students to advance their ideas and gather data through the survey. Though SJF has not yet met with Drexel administration, they have made significant headway by collecting valuable data.
Drexel officially launched its committee-driven Climate Action Plan, a process aiming towards a more eco-friendly campus. Students can get involved to any degree, whether that be attending an information session or supporting subcommittee research. If environmental advocates are curious to learn more about these opportunities, they are welcome to email [email protected].
Additionally, Drexel currently has a Climate & Sustainability team that works to engage students in environmental discussions and share resources. Their upcoming events include Recycling Collection Events and Civic X EarthFest2025 on April 23.
There are also significant sustainability research groups at Drexel such as the Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Lab and Urban Health Collaborative. Evidently, there is opportunity to involve oneself in environmental studies at Drexel, however, the key component of SJF’s goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their interest has basic knowledge. Students are encouraged to scan the attached QR code to make their voices heard by Drexel’s administration. To stay updated on SJF’s goals and accomplishments, follow their Instagram account, @sjfdrexel.