Ecologue

In order to foster camaraderie and community between colleagues and celebrate individual and collective employee success, the OSU Sustainability Office and Materials Management department have begun a student staff spotlight series. We want to build a sense of belonging for all who are employed by our organizations and to support the diversity of our backgrounds.

Kaylee Smith (she/her) is an Outreach Program Assistant at Materials Management. Her responsibilities include overseeing departmental composting, coordinating the Waste Watchers Club, developing diversity and equity trainings, and leading a food waste reduction campaign on campus.

Kaylee is a fourth-year Business Administration student with a minor in Sustainability. She grew up in Silverton, Oregon where she enjoyed the balance between rolling hills of farmland, temperate forest, and artsy downtown. In her free time, she likes going to concerts, discovering new restaurants, and singing in her a cappella group, Divine. Kaylee describes her happy place as “laying on a blanket in a park watching dogs run around.” 

As a Program Assistant, Kaylee is currently leading the development of No Food Left Behind, a campus food waste reduction campaign. This term, she is carrying out a pilot of this campaign with the help of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Sustainability Office’s Eco-Reps. This pilot tests the effectiveness of signage and pledges within residence halls in reducing edible food waste. Campus residents in 13 halls log their edible food waste and weigh it weekly. By the end of this pilot, the No Food Left Behind Campaign will be planned around the most impactful behavioral interventions and launched campus-wide next school year. 

With graduation around the corner, Kaylee says that she will leave her position with confidence in her work. “I have been able to push myself so much further than I thought I would, and it has let me prove to myself that I can accomplish amazing work that enacts institutional change”, Kaylee says, reflecting on her experience. To future employees at Materials Management, she advises students not to be afraid to reach out for help because MM’s staff provide a supportive environment where everyone is eager to see you succeed and reach your full potential. 

Thank you, Kaylee! You will be missed as your final term comes to an end!