As thousands of incoming students arrive on campus this summer, they'll be introduced to many aspects of University of Michigan life—from academic expectations and campus traditions to student organizations and support services. For the fourth consecutive year, they'll also encounter another hallmark of the Michigan experience: the universitywide culture of sustainability.

This July and August, Planet Blue Ambassador (PBA) staff will participate in more than 30 new student orientations and welcome events on the Ann Arbor campus, meeting with students as they begin their transition to university life. The orientation outreach builds on a Planet Blue welcome email sent to all incoming Ann Arbor students, highlighting opportunities to engage with sustainability at U-M.

At orientation, PBA staff answer questions, share campus resources, and connect students with opportunities ranging from student organizations and paid internships to campus events and everyday actions that reduce environmental impact. The outreach is designed to help students see how sustainability is woven into campus life from the outset—not as a single program or initiative, but as part of the broader U-M experience.

"Many incoming students already care about sustainability, but they don't know where to start," said Kate Meinecke, PBA orientation intern, a PitE graduate currently pursuing a master’s degree at SEAS. "Orientation gives us a chance to show students all that’s happening across campus and help them find opportunities that match their interests."

Orientation represents one part of the Planet Blue Ambassador program's year-round outreach. Open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and retirees, the program offers online sustainability trainings, campus events, volunteer opportunities, and other resources designed to help members of the university community better understand U-M's sustainability commitments and discover ways to contribute. More than 14,000 people across all three campuses have completed the Planet Blue Ambassador training since the program’s inception.

"Orientation is an important introduction to the campus experience, and a key way for students to discover how sustainability is embedded at U-M," said Aboli Dahiwadkar, PBA sustainability programs coordinator. "From there, we help members of the university community discover resources, opportunities, and connections that make it easier to get involved in sustainability in ways that are meaningful to them."

The program also provides customized group training for courses, departments, and campus units. During fiscal year 2026, the Planet Blue Ambassador team delivered 66 tailored sessions, including trainings conducted in Spanish as part of Spanish-language courses, as well as specialized sessions for Michigan Medicine and research laboratories.

"The Planet Blue Ambassador program is uniquely important because it gives everyone at U-M an accessible starting point for engaging with sustainability,” said Drew Horning, interim director of the Graham Sustainability Institute, which hosts the program. “PBA helps community members see where they fit into U-M’s broader sustainability efforts and empowers them to take action through academics, campus life, operations or beyond."

As orientation and welcome events run through August and into September, the Planet Blue Ambassador program will continue to connect incoming students with sustainability resources and opportunities across the university. Beyond orientation, the program serves as a year-round gateway for sustainability engagement, offering events, practical resources, learning opportunities, and regular updates that help members of the U-M community connect with and contribute to sustainability efforts across campus. Learn more at pba.umich.edu.