WCEE Graduate Assistantship – Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin
Position Description
The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE) fosters universal environmental and social
responsibility through the development, dissemination, implementation and evaluation of sustainability
and environmental education programs in pK-12 schools and communities. The WCEE is a center of the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) College of Natural Resources and the University of
Wisconsin Extension-Cooperative Extension. The graduate assistant will undertake a Master of Science
in Natural Resources with an emphasis in environmental education in the College of Natural Resources
at UWSP.
Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin (GHS) is administered and facilitated through a partnership
between the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and
the WCEE. GHS provides resources and information to support transforming learning environments and
increasing health and environmental literacy in schools.
With 237 schools and districts that have started the application of becoming a Green and Healthy School
in Wisconsin, information about school actions and commitments are being recorded by schools more
than ever. The GHS application provides information about strategies that schools use to be green and
healthy. It might also give insight into how schools, staff, and students are becoming more
environmentally literate, something that ties directly to the mission of the WCEE and goals within the
state. A graduate assistant working with GHS will access and utilize this data to better understand
schools across Wisconsin.
Graduate assistant goals: The primary responsibility of the graduate assistant will be to study green and
healthy schools, identifying the current status and future needs of schools and the program.
Additionally, they will work to identify how the application allows us to measure environmental literacy.
The graduate assistant will be responsible for developing, implementing, analyzing, and reporting on the
status of Green and Healthy Schools Wisconsin and on the evidence of environmental literacy across the
state.
Additional projects and services may include, but are not limited to:
 Development and facilitation of networking events including the Green & Healthy Schools
Wisconsin Institute
 Assist with the communication efforts for Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin including
proofreading newsletters, gathering content and writing stories for the newsletter, hosting
webinars, writing news releases, and other publicity materials
 Implementation and distribution of the Growing a Green & Healthy Schools Guide
 Assist with site visit consultations at schools and related community partners
 Other projects and services as the program evolves
Opportunities exist within Green and Health Schools Wisconsin for master’s level research studies.
Graduate students may align their research projects with this program or choose other areas of research
interests for their thesis. For more information about GHS, visit www.ghswi.org
Timeline: The project will begin with the 2015-16 academic year (September 2015) and will be
completed by the summer of 2017.
Funding: The WCEE will provide $1541/month (equivalent of $18,500 annually) in salary for the 2015-16
and 2016-17 academic year. Funding will begin August 1, 2015. Initial funding is available through June
30, 2016. Continued funding for the 2016-17 academic year is contingent upon available funding and
appropriate progress by the student in the assistantship project and academics. Funding is expected to
be available. Ultimately, funding for this assistantship will end on May 31, 2017. Health insurance is
available based on university policy for graduate students. Tuition is the responsibility of the graduate
assistant.
Continuation: The WCEE will maintain the rights to continue to disseminate and offer the materials and
professional development developed as part of the graduate assistant project through on-line, digital
and face to face means.
Work Expectations: The graduate assistant will provide 20 hours/week of work on the project during the
academic year and 10 hours/week through the summer of 2016. Ultimately this will be approximately
1400 hours of work over the two years of the project (given breaks for holidays, personal time, etc.).
Specific arrangements regarding on-campus versus off-campus work are negotiable, but at least the
equivalent of one day per week (likely more in the beginning of the project) will be spent on-campus
available to meet with WCEE staff and faculty.
To Apply:
 By February 2, send a cover letter indicating your interest in this position (highlight specific skills
and abilities that you believe would be beneficial to the assistantship) and a current resume to
Dr. Becca Franzen at bfranzen@uwsp.edu

By February 16, complete the UWSP graduate application process at:
http://www.uwsp.edu/admissions/Pages/Applying/Graduate-Study.aspx

By February 16, complete the College of Natural Resources graduate application process at:
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/graduateProgram/Pages/default.aspx
For More Information:
If you have questions about this graduate assistantship or the application procedures, please contact Dr.
Becca Franzen at bfranzen@uwsp.edu