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Student Internship Program

The Office of Sustainability is committed to providing a valuable experience by offering students the opportunity for rapid personal and professional growth. The projects the students take on, paired with Career and Professional Development curriculum and other trainings, will allow students to both sharpen and expand their environmental professional skill sets.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025-26 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ARE CLOSED.

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The internship is an academic-year cohort-based program. To be eligible, students must:

  • Be an undergraduate student in good academic standing.

  • Be able to participate for both the fall and spring semester.

  • Be able to work seven to ten hours per week on internship related activities, including weekly meetings and workshops.

This is not a paid position and students will not receive academic credit. We partner with Career and Professional Development in their Cooperative Education & Internship Program. The internship will appear on your transcript with zero academic credit, and at no cost to students. Students will receive professional development trainings and will be able to build their resume with skills and experiences. The Office of Sustainability staff members can also offer letters of recommendation and references for job, internship, or graduate school applications for all interns who successfully complete the program.

We are currently accepting applications for our 2025-26 student internship program.  Applications will close March 12, 2025 and interviews will likely take place in late March/early April. 



All interns are expected to attend the orientation sessions held at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. These day-long sessions provide interns the opportunity to get to know their fellow interns, learn how to work with one another, and plan for the year. Both orientations are generally scheduled on a Saturday.

Interns are assigned to teams and each team is led by a student team leader who is responsible for facilitating meetings, tracking the overall success of projects, and reporting progress to the team advisor (an Office of Sustainability employee) and project stakeholders.

Each team is expected to meet for at least one hour per week with their team advisor, and all interns are required to attend a weekly coordination meeting to check in with the other teams.

Students are expected to do work on their own, outside of weekly team meetings.

In order for our intern projects to be successful in the coming year, we are seeking students who:

  • Have a passion for sustainability.

  • Have some previous knowledge of environmental issues.

  • Are creative, innovative, and not shy about voicing new ideas.

  • Have strong written and verbal communication skills.

  • Are outgoing and personable.

  • Work well in a team environment.

  • Are reliable and meet deadlines.

  • Are energetic and excited about taking on new challenges.

  • Conduct themselves in a professional manner.

  • Are not afraid to have fun while working hard.

Intern Teams

The intern cohort is broken into teams based on topic areas of interest. Topic areas include energy, water, waste, and food. Each team has one student who serves as team leader and another who serves as a communications representative. The team leader is responsible for facilitating meetings, tracking success of projects, and reporting progress to the team advisor. Each team will report to their team advisor (an Office of Sustainability employee). The communications representative is responsible for social media management, graphic design, photography, and content creation. Each communications representative will have a different set of skills.

Intern teams will work on a variety of tasks, including:

  • Partner Projects: Teams will partner with various departments such as Energy Management, Stormwater Management, Sustainable Dining, and Housing & Residence Life to complete technical projects.
  • Education & Outreach: Teams will plan and execute outreach events in partnership with community organizations such as The YMCA, Town of Blacksburg, and Blacksburg Farmers Market. Past events include Thrift Swaps, Pop-up Farmers Market, and seed plantings.
  • Universitywide Campaigns: Teams will assist in executing large-scale campaigns including Earth Week and Sustainability Week.

2024-2025 INTERNS

Hi! My name is Chloe Hurren and I am a junior studying Environmental Policy and Planning with a minor in GIS. I developed my passion for the environment and urban planning growing up right outside Washington, DC. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, reading, cooking, and seeing my friends. I am also a member of Lambda Iota Mu service and conservation fraternity. I'm so excited to be a part of the Energy Team this year and be part of the change to make Virginia Tech's campus more sustainable!

My name is Rosalia Coz, but most friends call me Rose! I am a senior majoring in Environmental Policy and Planning with a minor in Pathways to Sustainability. I have been passionate about the environment and climate change since I first learned about it in the fifth grade. In my free time I enjoy cooking, reading, traveling, and hanging out with friends! I am extremely excited to be an intern at the Office of Sustainability as the Communications Representative for the Energy Team this school year! 

Hello! My name is Lauren Phan and I am a senior studying Environmental Policy and Planning with a minor in Landscape Architecture.  After my studies, I intend to pursue urban planning where I can combine my interests in the environment, land use, and sustainable design. I am excited to explore another area of the Office of Sustainability after a great experience with the food team last year. The ways in which the world mitigates energy usage has been an interest of mine, and I am eager to explore that at a university-wide scale. Outside of school and work, you can often find me sewing, traveling, cooking, or listening to music!

Hi! My name is Amy Poyner and I am a senior studying Chemistry and Environmental Science with plans to graduate in spring of 2025. In my free time, I love hiking, swimming, painting, and reading. I’m excited to work with other members of the Energy Team to promote efficient, sustainable, and environmentally-conscious practices.

Hi! My name is Jordyn, and I am a junior studying Environmental Conservation and Society with a minor in Leadership and Social Change. This year, I am on the Food Team and wish to make sustainable food options more accessible on campus while simultaneously addressing food insecurity as a collective. In my free time, I enjoy making plant-based recipes, which I share online, reading, and hammocking at Hahn Garden.

Hello everyone! My name is Bridget Crotty, and I am a senior pursuing a degree in Public and Urban Affairs with a major in Environmental Policy and Planning. From an early age, I was taught the importance of our environment. Although, as a stubborn 10-year-old, I may have dreaded the hiking trips my family took, I later developed a deep appreciation and value for nature. This passion has driven me to dedicate my academic studies to creating a better, more sustainable world. Over the past three years living in a college town, I’ve witnessed firsthand the amount of food that goes to waste on campus. At a school like Virginia Tech, where many of our products are farm-to-table and locally produced in Blacksburg, it’s disheartening to see so much go to waste. As a member of the Food Team, our goal is to spread awareness about sustainable eating and the impact our choices have on the environment. Through my experiences, I’ve built a strong foundation in sustainability and project management; skills that I aim to apply to a consulting role, where I can help clients achieve their sustainability goals. Outside the classroom, I stay busy with my sorority on campus serving as our Vice President, immersing myself in books (favorite author right now is Robert Greene), and trying new things—I’ve recently become a pickleball fanatic. I’m excited for what this internship and my senior year have in store. Gokies!

Hi! My name is Elayna Ealy, I am a senior studying Environmental Conservation and Society with minors in Sustainability and Ecological Cities! I am passionate about influencing sustainable practices as well as building a stronger human-environmental connection. This internship is an incredible opportunity for me to develop more leadership skills and interact with the Virginia Tech community to spread awareness of sustainable food sources, food waste, sustainable agriculture, food security, and much more. In my free time I enjoy walking/being outside, traveling, and listening to music. I am excited to be working with the Food Team this year to continue to make a difference on campus and within the Blacksburg community!

Hello there! My name is Alyssa Wingard and this is my second year at VT! I plan to graduate in 2027 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. I grew up gardening with my family, which grew into a love for the environment and a passion to protect it. As a member of the food team, I hope to spread my love for environmental awareness and make a positive difference on the community. After graduating, I plan to incorporate sustainability as much as possible into my work and hope to encourage others to do so as well! Go Hokies!

Hi guys! I’m Ellie Lo and I’m a junior from Alexandria, Virginia. I’m studying ecological restoration, with minors in horticulture, wetland science, and jazz studies. I am the videographer chair for Kappa Kappa Gamma and serve as the race coordinator for VT Club XCTF. I also play in many music groups in Blacksburg, switching between piano and singing. Growing up with the impending doom of climate change, I quickly became very interested in sustainable practices and saving the environment. I want to ensure that my communities have access to resources to be sustainable, and inspire those around me to work together towards a greener planet.

Hi! My name is Quin, and I'm a sophomore studying Environmental Data Science and minoring in Wildland Fire Ecology and GIS. I'm super excited to be the Communications Officer on the Waste Team this year! In my free time, I love doing anything outside- hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, birding, camping, etc. I also spend a lot of my free time doing yoga, swimming, and climbing. I love getting involved on and off campus- I'm a member of the STEM sorority Alpha Sigma Kappa and the conservation service fraternity Lambda Iota Mu, as well as the president of XYZ: Blacksburg's only student-run art gallery. I'm excited to spread awareness and make lasting sustainable changes on Virginia Tech's campus!

Hello! I'm Sylvie Gobs, and I'm a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering and minoring in Green Engineering. I spent my childhood playing in the woods and always being outside, which gave me a fondness for nature and a passion to protect the environment. This is my second year with the Office of Sustainability, and I'm excited to continue finding new ways to reduce waste on campus. I'm a co-leader of the Sustainable Fashion Show, which is a great event showcasing how to be stylish and sustainable. After college, I plan on sequestering carbon out of the air or working on renewable energy. In my free time I love going hiking, working out, playing video games, hanging out with friends, and doing new things. I'm excited to continue my journey with the Office of Sustainability!

Hi! My name is Amelia Giurintano, and I am a senior majoring in Environmental Policy and Planning with a minor in Smart and Sustainable Cities. I am very excited to continue working with Virginia Tech’s Sustainability Office as a part of the Waste Team to make Virginia Tech a more sustainable campus. I am really interested in environmental justice and climate panning as future career pathways. I can’t wait to help plan the Sustainable Fashion Show in the spring, promote recycling, and reduce waste at VT! I love spending time with my friends and family, spending time outside at the beach or in a hammock, and getting involved at Virginia Tech through anything sustainability related!

Hi! My name is Ali Penczak and I am a sophomore from Richmond, VA majoring in Smart and Sustainable Cities with a minor in Landscape Architecture. I love spending time outside in my hammock, traveling, crafting, and gardening. After graduation, I plan to work in urban design, transportation, or sustainable infrastructure. I am looking forward to working on the waste team this year to continue improving sustainability on Virginia Tech's campus and in the community. 

Hi! My name is Addie Gaudet and I am a senior majoring in Environmental Conservation and Society with minors in Pathways to Sustainability and Ecological Cities. I am very passionate about both raising awareness and making a true difference in the community. As the leader of the Waste team, I am excited to get to work with the Virginia Tech community to educate people on how to lessen their environmental impact. I am also eager to continue to improve the waste team initiatives from last year. In my free time, I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta, I love spending time outside, and am in the process of obtaining my pilot’s license. I am also a founding member of Sustainable at Virginia Tech. I am excited to continue the work that the previous interns did and to keep making a difference.

Hi! My name is Peyton Penland, and I am a senior studying Environmental Science with minors in Blue Planet and Crop and Soil Sciences. I am from Yorktown, Virginia, so growing up so close to the water ignited from a young age a passion for our natural world and its invaluable resources. Issue like water footprints and overconsumption are critical, especially here in the United States. For instance, our everyday choices from the clothes we wear to the food we eat significantly impact water resources. This year, I’m thrilled to contribute to our campus’s sustainability efforts, aiming to raise awareness and drive positive change. I am so excited to be a part of the water team, and I cannot wait to see all that we accomplish together!

Hello! My name is Hannah and I am a part of the Water Team returning for a third year. I am a fourth-year student majoring in Environmental Conservation and Society, with minors in Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation. Although I’ve learned much academically, this internship has taught me so much regarding campus awareness in sustainability, targeting water usage issues at VT, and rebuilding the health of small waterways on campus. I love to spend my time at the beach, riding my bike, and going to concerts. Also, I am always thrilled to support small and sustainable businesses. I hope to one day utilize my education and internship experience to work in forestry, environmental education, sustainability coordination, or in wetland restoration. 

Hello! My name is Rose Harvey. I am a senior majoring in ecological restoration with a minor in Spanish. I am thrilled to be a part of the Office of Sustainability and the water team this year! I am looking forward to working with other students who are passionate about sustainability to help Virginia Tech reach its sustainability goals. In my free time I enjoy hiking, climbing, reading, and making pottery. 

Hey! My name is Leilani Hyatt, and I'm a senior majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Geosciences and Wetland Science. I currently live in Northern Virginia, but I was born in Tucson, Arizona and grew up all over (I've moved ten times!). Ever since my elementary school installed a green roof, I have been passionate about sustainability and living a green lifestyle. I'm excited to work with the Water Team and spread awareness on the importance of minding our water usage and footprints. I am Historian for the Horticulture Club at Virginia Tech, a CALS Ambassador, and am involved in undergraduate research. I also love photography, and have images published in the Fairfax County Times and the NEA magazine! In my free time, you can probably find me hiking, geocaching, or baking something!

Hello! My name is Jordan Lavey, I am a Junior from Lynnfield, Massachusetts. My major is Geoscience with a concentration in Environment & Engineering. I am also minoring in Geographic Information Science. I absolutely love hiking and going to the beach. I really like to sew and repurpose clothes, I also love gardening and I grow vegetables back home over the summer! During the fall 2024 semester I am studying abroad in Switzerland, but I am excited to bring what I learn back to help with future water team projects. Working as part of the water team has been an amazing opportunity to see the real world impacts of sustainability, and seeing our projects help our campus has been so rewarding! I can't wait to see what else we can do to help make our campus more sustainable and help improve campus life!

Hey! My name is Avery Krivis, and I am a senior from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I am majoring in Chemical Engineering, with minors in Green Engineering and Sustainable Biomaterials. I am super excited to be working with the Office of Sustainability and the Water Team for the 2024-2025 school year! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with other students who share my passion for sustainability. Growing up, I had always been environmentally conscious, and I can’t wait to put this mindset into action around campus. Other than sustainability, my passions include playing Club Water Polo at VT, reading, hiking, coaching my summer swim team, traveling, jamming to any genre of music, and hanging out with friends.