Next SECS Meeting This Wednesday at 6:30! 🌱

This week, instead of our usual working groups breaking out during the meeting, we will be coming together as an organization to write letters advocating for fossil fuel divestment to Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. We will have letter writing materials available at the meeting, and we’re having a potluck at the same time! Sign up here to bring something, and show up ready to write!

Join us this Wednesday, March 12th at 6:30 p.m. at the Channing Murray Foundation (1209 W. Oregon Street) for our next meeting.

🚨WAIT, THERE’S MORE!🚨

Winter Edition of the Green Observer Out Now!

We’re proud to announce the publication of the Winter 2025 edition of the Green Observer! A big thank-you to all of the many talented student contributors who lent their work to this issue’s theme, Currents. Head here to check it out! You’re gonna love it so much you’ll want to preorder your own copy – do so here for just $8!

Fossil Free Friday!

Fossil Free Friday will still be happening this Friday; show up if you haven’t gone home yet to advance the divestment movement!

Come to Book Club!

SECS is proud to announce our first ever book club! We’re currently reading Parable for the Sower and meeting every other Thursday. The next meeting is Thursday, March 13th at the Women’s Resource Center at 6:30. We are unable to offer free copies of the book at this time, but encourage anyone interested to check it out from a local library.

Sign the Petition to Support Divestment!

Join your fellow students in your support for the University divesting from fossil fuels here.

Show up on Wednesday! Go green or go HOME!

Have something to submit to the newsletter? Fill out this form.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Paid Summer Restoration Technician Opportunities with the Nature Conservancy

Apply here for a paid summer restoration technician across multiple locations in Illinois with the Nature Conservancy.

Come to Illini Lights Out!

Sign up to help turn off lights in campus buildings and save energy on March 28th here!

Help birds stop dying!

The UIUC Bird Strike group is made up of some awesome students who are looking to reduce bird deaths caused by window collisions. Go here for more information or if you’re interested in volunteering!

Join the Climate Grief Group

Feeling the weight of climate change? You're not alone. Many of us are struggling with grief, anxiety, and a sense of loss as we watch our planet change. The Climate Grief Group is a safe, supportive space where we can talk openly about our climate-related emotions and learn how to cope together. We'll explore our feelings, build resilience, and find ways to turn that grief into positive action. Let's connect, heal, and support each other as we work towards a more just and sustainable future. This group meets virtually on Tuesdays between September 24th and October 29th at 1pm and is led by a licensed, climate-aware therapist. Pay what you can. Register here.

Visit TORIIS and take action

TORIIS.earth is an organization that makes transparent the University of Illinois Systems investments and visualizes this data through an environmental lens. Throughout TORIIS, you can explore in depth the University of Illinois Systems’ investments, understand the scope and impact of its investments in the fossil fuel industry, and take action by signing the open letter requesting fossil fuel divestment from the University of Illinois.

Listen to the SECS talk
Listen here to our sustainability-focused podcast, the SECS talk! The most recent episode’s guest is Lina Avalos, a student at UIUC and an environmental justice advocate from the Southeast side of Chicago.

If you’ve read this far, consider clicking here for the song of the week.

Contact Us!
President — Rudy LaFave (he/him)
[email protected]
Vice President — Claire Sullivan (she/her)
[email protected]
Treasurer — Averhy Sanborn (she/her)
[email protected]
Secretary — Julia San Miguel (she/her)
[email protected]
Action Co-Coordinator — Trey McCallister (he/him)
[email protected]
Action Co-Coordinator — Gabi DalSanto (she/they)
[email protected]
Media Officer — Natalie Reed (she/her)
[email protected]
Editor-in-Chief of the Green Observer – Michael Gergeni (he/him)
[email protected]
Community Chair — Joya Weissman (she/her)
[email protected]
Land Management Chair — Liam Henry (he/him)
[email protected]
Outreach Coordinator — Izzy Wilder (she/her)
[email protected]
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer — Fatima Naveed (she/her)
[email protected]