SEEDS: Activities

SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapters are local affiliates of the SEEDS program which serve to further the mission of SEEDS on college campuses throughout the country. Student members of each chapter engage in activities to promote ecology through education, outreach, recruitment, and career development. Each Chapter customizes its program to the interests of its members and the needs of its campus and community. Examples of chapter activities include: planning and attending field trips; inviting guest speakers; hosting ecology career seminars; sending students to professional meetings in an ecology or related discipline; developing a local chapter web page; and, planning campus activities or other recruitment activities such as posting flyers or visiting undergraduate or public school classrooms. If you're interested in starting an Ecology Club or need some ideas for an already existing club, please visit the Ecology Club Handbook.

Chapter Benefits

Certificate of membership recognizing the chapter's participation in the SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapter program

ESA membership and one journal subscription for the chapter advisor; ESA membership for the co-advisor

ESA membership for the student representative

Waived registration fees for the student representative for the ESA Annual Meeting

Chapter Special Project Grant opportunity to fund larger Chapter projects such as outreach programs, student research, workshops, etc.

Chapter Maintenance Grant opportunity to help each Chapter establish itself and/or sustain its presence on campus and beyond.

SEEDS newsletter and webpage for your chapter on the SEEDS website

Potential for a visit from a SEEDS staff member to conduct a presentation or workshop on the program or careers in ecology

Access to the Chapter and ESA member network

Chapter Requirements

Each chapter must support the mission of SEEDS – to promote ecology opportunities for underrepresented students.

Each Chapter institution must be located in the United States or its territories.

Each chapter must have at least one faculty advisor or sponsor. The advisor(s) may be a member of the faculty or staff who is selected according to the criteria established by the chapter. Although there are no requirements for an advisor, the advisor should demonstrate a dedication and commitment to the chapter’s students and mission.

Each chapter must have a student representative to serve as a liaison to the SEEDS program. This representative need not be a chapter officer, but must be an active member of the chapter. It is the chapter’s responsibility to designate a representative and provide accurate contact information for this person to the program. It is the representative’s responsibility to maintain communication with the SEEDS program; be available and responsive by email (maintain a reliable email address); disseminate and collect information within the chapter; and, along with the advisor, ensure compliance with the program such as submitting reports on time.

Each chapter must submit an annual report by May 1. The required form is below under "Chapter Forms." Failure to submit a report by the May 1 deadline may deem the chapter ineligible for chapter benefits. Reports will also be required upon the completion of special project grants.

Chapter Forms

New Chapter Application [Microsoft Word]
Please refer to the instructions below under "Invitation for New Chapters."

Annual Report Form [Microsoft Word]
Right click on the "Annual Report Form" link above, select "Save Target As..." from the menu options, and save the Microsoft Word file to your computer or storage device. The default file name is chapter_annual_report.doc. Complete the report form linked above by typing information directly into the table cells in Microsoft Word. Email the completed report file to seeds@esa.org by May 1, 2007. Please also attach any relevant Chapter photos or other documents (<2MB) to your email. Report hard copies are not necessary and are discouraged. Any relevant Chapter materials that cannot be sent electronically (brochures, flyers, etc.) may be mailed to: SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapters; Ecological Society of America; 1400 Spring Street, Suite 330; Silver Spring, MD; 20910.

Maintenance Grant Guidelines and Application

Special Project Grant Proposal and Report Guidelines

Invitation for New Chapters

SEEDS welcomes new schools to join the Chapter network and work toward increasing student awareness and interest in ecology. Ecology and ecology-related (Biology, Environmental Science, Earth…) clubs that are already in existence as well as newly formed student groups interested in ecology and the SEEDS mission may apply to become a SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapter.

New Chapter Application [Microsoft Word]
Right click on the "New Chapter Application" link above, select "Save Target As..." from the menu options, and save the Microsoft Word file to your computer or storage device. The default file name is chapter_application.doc.

Please complete the application form linked above by typing information directly into the table cells in Microsoft Word. Email the completed application file to seeds@esa.org. Please also attach any relevant Chapter photos or other documents (<2MB) to your email. Application hard copies are not necessary and are discouraged. Any relevant Chapter application materials that cannot be sent electronically (brochures, flyers, etc.) may be mailed to: SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapters; Ecological Society of America; 1400 Spring Street, Suite 330; Silver Spring, MD; 20910.