Sidney Stadelmann

she/her/hers

Hometown: Denver, Colorado

Major: Environmental Sociology

Minor: Organic Agriculture

Sidney and her Climate Anxiety (CCA) project were recently featured in SOURCE.

 

How did you decide to study Sociology?

I wanted to study sociology, because I am interested in understanding the “why” of phenomena. I am deeply passionate about sustainability and the environment, but rather than approaching this interest from the lens of looking directly at the surface manifestations of current problems, I wanted to dig deeper and look beyond the veil to understand what social processes, relationships, and structures create the global issues facing the world today. I chose sociology because it promised an education of scale — looking from both micro and macro social perspectives to formulate a well-developed understanding of the world. I was drawn towards centering my education on people and systems. I was especially excited about the concentration in Environmental Sociology, because it further grounds a study of societies and systems with the understanding that all human interactions happen on Earth. This epistemological grounding combines a study of social systems with a study of the dynamic relationship that people have with the Earth, which sets the scene for the contemporary societies that we operate in today.

 

Why did you choose CSU?

I chose CSU because I was drawn to the sustainability initiatives on campus, the town of Fort Colins, and all of the clubs and community involvement opportunities. Prior to being a CSU Ram, I went to the University of Oregon for a year. I decided to transfer from there because I did not want to pay the high out-of-state prices, and because I was unsatisfied with the Environmental Studies major there. When deciding which Colorado school to attend, I chose CSU over CU Boulder because I felt as though the values of environmentalism and sustainability were more authentic here. Additionally, I was drawn to the Organic Agriculture major, which I couldn’t find at other schools. Lastly, I was excited about the opportunity to major in sociology, while concentrating in environmental sociology. This allowed me the ability to study sustainability from a societal perspective, which I was more passionate about compared to just environmental science.

 

What skills have you learned and how do you plan to apply them?

As a sociology major, the biggest skill I have learned is my “sociological imagination.” This concept encourages sociologists to apply personal experience or observed phenomena to a broader system, set of driving forces, patterns, and social organization. In essence, sociology has helped me strengthen my skills for critical and analytic thinking. Throughout my time as a sociology student, I have learned how to look at, research, analyze, and synthesize social phenomena using a variety of different lenses and perspectives. Moving forward, I plan to use these skills to help assist me with my goals of reforming food systems. By applying systems-level thinking to local phenomena, I can identify areas of change, progress, and resistance to usher in better, more sustainable food systems.

 

What clubs/organizations are you involved in? (on campus or off)

I am the Outreach Coordination for the Student Sustainability Center (SSC) on campus. In that role, I help plan events and volunteering opportunities, network and connect with other organizations, reach out to local community members in Fort Collins, and work with my other SSC team members to create a club and resource center that support student sustainability initiatives on campus. Additionally, through the SSC I created my own project called the Community for Climate Anxiety (CCA). The CCA strives to establish spaces where students can participate in small, sustainable activities that promote a sense of hope and agency. The goal of the group is to combat the feelings of anxiety, grief, hopelessness, and frustration that often accompany learning about and empathizing with climate change. I have the been Director for this group for a year now, and this summer me and my officer team are working on making the CCA a registered student organization so we can become an official club! Additionally, I have been an officer for Art Club for the past 1.5 years, where I help plan events and collaborate with other clubs. I am also a part of the Zero Waste Team club and the Agronomy Club at CSU!

Outside of CSU clubs, I am also involved with Sagrada Botanical Gardens, a community garden and gathering space focused on promoting permaculture practices and sustainable lifestyles in Fort Collins. At Sagrada, I have an internship where I help plan events for the community, organize volunteering, and assist wherever I can. Additionally, I also work for Compost Queen, a local residential food-recycling service here in Fort Collins. I help run the composting operations, work the farmers markets, and am starting an internship position soon where I will help plan community involvement events, volunteering opportunities, and educational outreach.

 

A favorite class or professor and why:

My favorite class was SOC 220: Environment, Food and Social Justice, taught by the one and only Jason Downing. Professor Downing is an incredibly passionate, wonderful teacher, and this class was insightful, moving, and inspiring. Prof. Downing always has an uplifting, authentic energy that he brings to class, and despite the content in this class being heavy, he was adamant about grounding the course in “pragmatic,” tangible solutions. This made the course both eye-opening and hopeful, which is rare to come across in classes dealing with sustainability and environmental justice. Often courses only talk about the problems facing society, and fail to highlight potential solutions. This was my favorite class because it was engaging, interesting, and inspiring.

 

A favorite CSU memory:

My favorite memory from my time at CSU was the FoCoMX weekend. During April, the city of Fort Collins invites 400+ local artists and bands to play at bars, restaurants, and venues throughout all of Old Town. The town turns into a music festival for 2 days, and thousands of people fill the streets and shops to listen to live music. CSU gives away a certain number of free tickets to students, and I am so grateful for that. The FoCoMX weekend is filled with dancing, joy, and authentic art that often feels hard to come by in a digital age. This was my favorite memory, because I got to spend two days enjoying art and what felt like an authentic “human experience” with my friends, all for free!! Considering how heavy the world has felt to me recently, this experience lifted my spirits and reminded me about the power of community, radical joy, and art.

 

What are you pursuing after graduation?

I still have a year left at CSU, so I’m not entirely sure what my plans are after graduating. Before transferring to CSU, I took a semester off to travel throughout Europe and work on Organic farms. It was an incredibly fulfilling experience, so I would like to continue traveling and working on farms for a little bit after graduating. After that, I hope to either go to graduate school to continue my education on sustainable and reformative food systems and food justice, or I would like to work with urban communities to increase access to healthy, fresh foods via community garden programs, especially for minority groups that do not have equitable access to healthy produce. Regardless of what I do after graduation, I hope that it will involve social justice, local food systems, and building resilient communities.