The Student Ohana for Sustainability, known as SOS, is Maui College’s sustainability club here on campus since 2011. The SOS mission statement is: “As a diverse group of independent thinkers, SOS is committed to promoting sustainability practices through community based educational projects and events. The SOS will make our efforts a model for the campus and the nation.” Ho’oulu’s “Campus Close-Ups” had the opportunity to meet with Pali O’Connell, the SOS President, and discuss the club and her vision as the club leader.
Pali planting a tree at Earth Day 2015.
Campus Close-Ups (CCU): What has been a focus for the club for you and your current officers?
Pali: The club took on a new project with the campus community garden. We have weekly meetings and socials at the garden where we plant and members grow their own food. The garden brings awareness to local food sourcing and helps people think about their food options. I am always asking for club member feedback, interests, and what members want from the club. We are also keeping up the Adopt-A-Highway clean-up campaign of Kahului Beach road the previous administration started. We are planning hiking trips.
Pali at SOS Adopt-A-Highway event on Kahului Beach Road.
CCU: Why focus on the hiking trips?
Pali: The hikes are fun social events that help raise awareness of our island, create a conversation, and bring people together. Sustainability can be a complex topic; the hikes are a non-confrontational way to connect with the community.
CCU: What are your goals for the SOS club?
Pali: I would like to help make the club bigger. As students graduate or leave the campus we lose active members, I want the club to grow. I would similarly like to get more participation. We’re looking to find projects or campaigns that our members want to be involved and active in. I work to set SMART goals for the club: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
CCU: What are your challenges for your club goals?
Pali: Getting more participation. This is a commuter campus, people come to class and leave, actually getting students to become members and want to be involved is a constant struggle. Students are busy with studies, work, and life outside of campus, it’s hard to always recruit new members when our officers are also busy.
CCU: What do you get from being president, what are your joys in your position?
Pali: Having a purpose and spreading the concept of sustainability is very rewarding. The club helps me and club members have discussions about sustainability issues in our community, sometimes even getting into deeper discussions about potential solutions. It’s nice to be with a group of smart and passionate people that care about our campus and islands. I would like to help people feel better about our campus and community, and build the club to be a resource for the community.
CCU: What would you say to the next president of SOS or any other potential club leader?
Pali: Membership and participation in a club is going to fluctuate, be ready to market your club’s missions and find new members. Have a balance with your time commitments to the club, family, and school, it’s easy to want to give everything to the club.
CCU: How has this leadership experience influenced where you see yourself next?
Pali: I am much more comfortable in committees and participating in them. I would be more likely to join community committees around sustainability issues and resource management. I know the value of community input and can participate in a better way in the future.
Interested in learning more about the SOS Club? For the Spring 2016 semester the SOS host their meetings on the first Tuesday of the month in the campus library at 3:00pm. They also have their upcoming Adopt-A-Highway clean-up on Sat. Feb. 27, 2016 from 9:00-12:00 in the campus parking lot across from the MACC by the flea market. The public is also encouraged to check out Student-Ohana-for-Sustainability on Facebook, updated projects and events are regularly posted.
