Earth Day Spotlight: Environmental Student Assembly
by Donal Buckley
Happy Earth Day, Trojans! Every April 22, communities around the world gather to celebrate and promote the wellness of our planet. This year, Earth Day’s theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” bringing special attention to the impact our efforts have when we work together. To celebrate, I interviewed three executives and e-board members of USC’s Environmental Student Assembly (ESA) to highlight the club’s efforts and what they have to say about sustainability.
ESA is a free-to-attend organization, run entirely by students, that’s committed to advocating for sustainability in the USC community. From clothing swaps to panels with special guests, attendees are constantly learning how they can live a more sustainable life. In addition to general meetings, ESA also hosts events like VegFest, an annual market that brought in over 700 students to learn about the benefits of a plant-based diet. This Earth Day, I got insights from Jon-Marc (Co-Executive Director), Ashley Halim (Assistant Executive Director), and Chris Bove (Intern in the Administrative Committee).
Each of the three aforementioned members have different responsibilities, but share a goal of spreading awareness of sustainability and making an impact to the greater USC community. As Executive Director, Jon-Marc plans and leads general meetings, guides organizations, and works closely with other departments to lead meaningful and innovative sustainability projects. In addition, he presents bills and represents ESA at USG meetings to ensure all students have access to sustainability. Ashley shared that she helps coordinate events that educate the broader community, making sustainability more accessible. And finally, as an intern, Chris helps with organizing events and ensures streamlined internal communication.
Promoting sustainability is a deep-rooted passion for Jon-Marc, Ashley, and Chris, which is why they’ve decided to take on higher roles in the club. In addition, their commitment to ESA stems from the strong community and friendships they’ve formed while participating. Chris says he comes from a sustainable background and was always interested in environmental science, so interning at ESA was a given for him. “ESA has been an integral part of my transition from merely learning about sustainability to feeling its effects real time,” he shared, “and it has also given me opportunities to develop my skills in communication, teamwork, and organization.”
Meanwhile, Ashley joined ESA because she felt like it was the perfect opportunity to be a part of a community and deepen her understanding of sustainability. “Everyone is so driven, creative, and dedicated to making change,” she said. ESA isn’t just any organization, it’s a coalition of students who are dedicating much of their time in college to environmental activism.
Jon-Marc’s path to ESA is a little more unconventional. Initially, he joined to fulfill a project assignment for class, but was moved enough by the club to become more involved. In the second semester of his freshman year, he became an Ambassador, and was later promoted to Advocacy Liaison as a sophomore. Currently, he serves as Co-Executive Director, meaning he’s basically ESA’s president. “Being part of ESA showed me the power of student-led initiatives and community engagement in driving real change,” he said. “In a time when the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly urgent and impossible to ignore, taking climate action isn’t just important, it’s necessary.” He also says that, whether ESA is organizing events, putting on campaigns, or collaborating on initiatives, everyone shares a commitment to create positive change around USC.
All three also shared how ESA is celebrating Earth Day this year. On April 10, the organization had an Earth Month Speaker Event featuring renowned activist Leah Thomas, which Jon-Marc co-hosted. This event was in collaboration with the Black Student Assembly and aimed to highlight the intersection of social justice and the environment to general members. Jon-Marc also shared that he’s co-hosting the annual Student Sustainability Town Hall on April 17, where students will have a chance to converse with President Carol Folt and other key campus sustainability leaders. “These events are aimed to empower students, amplify diverse voices, and create space for dialogue and action around sustainability,” Jon-Marc said.
Beyond ESA events, Chris and Ashley also shared how they’re practicing sustainability in their daily lives. Chris said he doesn’t do much to “celebrate” the actual day but has been conscious of small things he can do like take shorter showers, compost and recycle properly, avoid using gas transportation, and reuse his plastic water bottles. Ashley was similar: “Personally, I’ve focused on reducing single-use plastics in my daily life and encouraging others to do the same.” There’s a real desire — and strong effort — for change, even within their own lives. Even as activists, they understand there are areas they can work on, which is crucial in promoting a sustainable earth. No one is immune from impacting the environment.
On that note, Chris shared why environmental activism is important: because we all live on the same planet! “Our responsibility as human beings who are part of the planet’s ecosystem is to care for it,” he said, “and I think every individual can play a role in making the Earth a better place.” It’s not just a choice, but a responsibility for all of us to contribute to a healthy and sustainable earth. We only have one planet, and we can’t take it for granted. Ashley shared a similar sentiment, highlighting the attention activism gives to our planet and the people who are affected.
Backing this up, Jon-Marc urged that climate change impacts us all, and although it can be overwhelming to think about how we can make a difference on such a global scale, it can be tackled with activism. “For me, environmental activism is also about accountability and inclusion, ensuring that institutions, governments, and individuals are doing their part and that historically marginalized communities are not left out of the conversation,” he said. “Through my work with ESA, I’ve seen how student-led efforts can lead to tangible change on campus and in our broader communities. Activism empowers us to raise awareness, build coalitions, and push for policies that protect our planet and future generations.”
ESA is committed to not just promoting sustainability to students who are interested, but making sure all students know how they can lead earth-forward lives. Chris shared that having a sustainable mindset isn’t restricted to climate scientists and activists: “Anyone can be an environmentalist, and even if you’re unsure of where to start, there are so many different resources and people (including, but not limited to ESA) out there who can help guide your learning and get you involved if you desire."
Additionally, Jon-Marc shared that sustainability is all about community, education, and creating a space for open dialogue. This is what he hopes to accomplish at the Student Sustainability Town Hall with President Folt. “Hosted by ESA and the Student Sustainability Committee of the Presidential Working Group on Sustainability, this event is a chance for students to directly engage with some of USC’s top sustainability leaders,” he said. “It’s an open forum where students can ask questions, voice concerns, and learn about the university’s progress toward a more sustainable future. Whether you're deeply involved in sustainability or just beginning to explore it, this is an opportunity to be part of the conversation.”
Students even slightly interested in leading a more sustainable life should consider attending one of these Town Halls, and many more events ESA will host in the future. The assembly meets every Tuesday at 8pm PST in the Sustainability Hub (STU 101). If at all interested, attend one of their meetings — it’s free and no registration is required.
“ESA is always welcome to new members who are interested and want to take action together,” Ashley says. “Regardless of if you are just starting out, or already deeply involved, there is always a place for this work!”
