Jesse Pirtel co-authors winning grant to create environmental student leadership retreat at UNE

Jesse Pirtel (’16) an environmental studies major and current work-study student in UNE’s Sustainability office, recently co-authored a grant proposal, which was accepted by the New England Campus Sustainability Forum (NECSF), for funding to host an environmental student leadership retreat at UNE this fall.

Pirtel and Jordan Tate (’16), also an environmental science major, attended the NECSF conference in Boston on September 20, 2013, to accept the award along with students from the University of Southern Maine and Unity College.  Students from the three schools each applied for $1,000 for the same project, with coordinated hopes of combining the funding for the same end result.  NECSF chose to award the three schools with $2,000 collectively for a collaborative project.

Students on the three campuses have already begun working to develop their plan.