I graduated from Ithaca College last May majoring in politics with a minor in environmental studies. I applied to the Green Corps program in September while in Washington where I was interning for Greenpeace. I heard it was a great way to learn how to organize around environmental issues, and it seemed like a good fit for me. Since I was 16, I have been passionate about protecting the planet from global warming, and I wanted the skills to make an impact. When I entered this “Field School for Environmental Organizing,” in August, I knew that I would be working on environmental campaigns in three to five cities throughout the year. I would gain skills to continue working in the environmental movement in my career when the program would end the following August. I even knew that I would have fun, get much accomplished and get paid for it.

What I didn’t know was how much of an impact I would make right from the start and the amazing moment in time we would become a part of; my year with Green Corps coincided with the election of President Obama. With Obama’s history as a social change organizer, the kind of movement we are building at Green Corps is put in the forefront of his administration and makes citizens excited to join together with a united voice. It’s just remarkable that because of Obama’s success and unifying effect, everyone wants to be volunteers with other campaigns after his.

I worked on my first campaign in Des Moines, Iowa, with “1Sky,” a national, highly collaborative campaign bringing nontraditional allies into the climate movement to enact bold federal climate legislation in 2009. We were working toward creating five million new green jobs and a moratorium on all new coal plants in 2009. Having grown up in suburban Philadelphia, I had no idea what to expect in Des Moines (isn’t it all corn fields?). To my surprise, within the first three weeks on the ground, I had activated a group of volunteers who could do anything. We threw together a press conference and received tons of press coverage on the issue in Iowa. The best part about this job is that even after I left Iowa, the citizens, students and organizations I connected with are still working through these issues and most recently just helped take down a coal plant in Marshalltown, Iowa. They’re working on shutting down the coal plant on Iowa State University’s campus, too. This is probably the most fulfilling part of the work thus far: knowing that I trained these volunteers, connected them together and they continue to make an impact together even after I’ve left.

This is probably the coolest job I could’ve gotten right out of school. I make an impact on what I care about. I see myself working in the field to hone all my skills needed to be an organizer and move people around an issue. Long term, I would definitely love to work on media strategies and tactics for environmental groups looking to build visibility on their campaigns. I’d love to see more Ithaca alums in the program and be a resource for anyone thinking about their next step being a political green one. I’ve gotten so much out of the program: all the skills to learn how to do grassroots organizing, knowledge about the most current campaigns and issues in the U.S., lobbying skills, media relations, working with volunteers, recruitment and fundraising. I feel that I am much more valuable to future employers and have a greater impact in my vision of creating environmental change.

For more information on Green Corps go to www.greencorps.org.
Anjuli Kronheim ’08 is a lead recruiter for Green Corps. E-mail her at anjuli@greencorps.org.