This is the story of GreenLight Solutions; our origins, major milestones, and latest progress. GreenLight has been collaboratively co-created by hundreds of passionate contributors who align in purpose. Enjoy the journey, we certainly do!
The biggest challenge with making a difference is knowing where to start. This was one of the most daunting challenges facing a group of ASU School of Sustainability undergraduate students in 2012.
These students wanted to go beyond the classroom, put their theory into practice, and gain real world experience – but this was a field where few opportunities existed. Rising to the challenge, they decided to carve the path for applied learning in sustainability, by partnering passionate students with innovative businesses to meet their sustainability goals.
That core group of students knew they needed to share this unique pathway with others. In 2013, GreenLight Solutions was born, evolving from an undergraduate thesis, to a thriving student organization, and finally a mission-driven 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2016.
After joining a social impact incubator (and penning a logo on the back of a napkin!), the organization was 100% volunteer-led for six years by passionate young professionals working tirelessly on nights and weekends to realize this vision for future generations.
Fast forward to present day, GreenLight Solutions helps students launch their careers and businesses go green. Our purpose is to break down the barriers of sustainability. We inspire sustainability leadership and create sustainability pathways for all.
These students wanted to go beyond the classroom, put their theory into practice, and gain real world experience – but this was a field where few opportunities existed. Rising to the challenge, they decided to carve the path for applied learning in sustainability, by partnering passionate students with innovative businesses to meet their sustainability goals.
That core group of students knew they needed to share this unique pathway with others. In 2013, GreenLight Solutions was born, evolving from an undergraduate thesis, to a thriving student organization, and finally a mission-driven 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2016.
After joining a social impact incubator (and penning a logo on the back of a napkin!), the organization was 100% volunteer-led for six years by passionate young professionals working tirelessly on nights and weekends to realize this vision for future generations.
Fast forward to present day, GreenLight Solutions helps students launch their careers and businesses go green. Our purpose is to break down the barriers of sustainability. We inspire sustainability leadership and create sustainability pathways for all.
Our Story…
A Crazy Idea!
Fall 2012
GreenLight Solutions was started by a group of students at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability who were contacted by an alumnus who said, “I have a crazy idea” and the students said, “We like crazy ideas!” The idea was to start a grassroots movement to solve two problems: 1) college students lack applied project management in their education; and 2) businesses lack approachable methods to evolve operations to be more sustainable and create a positive impact.
The Green Team
January 2013
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These original students worked with the World Wildlife Fund of the UK to produce two case studies on creative green businesses for the WWF’s Green Gamechangers: Sustainable Business Innovations Report. The students found this applied learning opportunity to be the experience that their education was lacking, and they wanted to share the opportunity with other students. That semester at ASU, the GreenLight Solutions student organization and movement was born!
(true story: our original logo design was mocked-up on the back of a napkin – classic!)
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Growing the Team
Spring 2013
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During the Spring 2013 semester, GreenLight Solutions grew to 15 passionate and talented students. This original cohort collaborated on sustainability projects with the City of Phoenix Public Works Department, Orcutt|Winslow, and Carbon Nation.
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Award-Winning Beginning
Spring 2013
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GreenLight Solutions thrived on campus during its first year, receiving the “Most Promising New Student Organization Award” from ASU’s Pitchfork Awards; while Co-Founder Kevin Keleher received the “Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award” for his work co-founding GreenLight Solutions – out of over 70,000+ students!
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Solutioneer Status
Summer 2014
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The GreenLight team hosted their first retreat on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona. A small group of students went camping together to bond and plan the next year. This is where Co-Founder Nathan Gassmann came up with the term “Solutioneer” which GreenLight uses for students participating on GreenLight sustainability projects. Since that summer, connecting back to nature during retreats became a biannual tradition for GreenLight.
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Putting the Entrepreneur Boots On
Spring 2015
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A handful of projects later, the team discovered a high demand for their work, so they applied for and received a scholarship to participate in the SEED SPOT Social Entrepreneurship Business Incubator program. The team entered the program as a student organization with a vision, and finished with an action plan and $5,000 in awards, the second-highest funded startup in the cohort!
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Making It Official
August 2016
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The team used the SEED SPOT award money to form an Arizona nonprofit and receive 501(c)3 status with the IRS. The GreenLight Solutions student movement evolved into an educational nonprofit, GreenLight Solutions Foundation, which exists to provide the organizational structure, institutional memory, mentorship support, curriculum, training, and resources that students and professionals utilize to make their projects successful.
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Showcasing Solutions
November 2016
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By this time, GreenLight had been delivering value through applied sustainability projects for 3.5 years and they needed a way to recognize their contributors and present their projects to the community. Solutioneer Jason Zeikowitz created and hosted the first ever Solutioneer Showcase, highlighting the Solutioneers, Project Partners, and organizational successes. GreenLight now hosts Showcases twice a year.
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Mixing It Up
September 2016
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Throughout the GreenLight movement, community members expressed that they want to help support GreenLight and celebrate their successes. In the fall of 2017, GreenLight hosted their first ever Community Mixer to connect with the broader community and invite the public to mix and mingle with the team. GreenLight mixers are hosted on the last Thursday of the month, excluding holidays. Visit our Events Page to RSVP for our next mixer.
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GLSF meets AASHE
October 2018
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GreenLight received an invitation from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to submit a workshop proposal. Upon acceptance, Ashley Weisman and Ryan Mores led a workshop at AASHE’s Student Summit workshop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ashley and Ryan go on to be presenters at this annual conference again in 2019 with Solutioneers Samantha Rosales and Chris Bodnar in Spokane, Washington.
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GreenLight Global
Summer 2019
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GreenLight was connected with Nanzan University in Japan through ASU Global Launch to deliver their first international project (aside from the very first project for the WWF in the UK), partnering the Japanese students with AZ StRUT in Mesa, AZ. The Project Team researched multiple solutions for AZ StRUT’s recyclable printer plastic and rural recycling.
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Virtual Pivot
March 2020
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In the spring of 2020, the covid-19 pandemic changed the world. Nearly everything went virtual – including GreenLight’s Student-Led Projects and professional sustainability programs. In the transition to online-only, the Solutioneers kept their projects on pace and continued to deliver quality work despite the abrupt changes.
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Second Chapter Launched
August 2020
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The GreenLight family grew with the addition of our second Student Chapter opening at the Maricopa County Community College District. The team had been cultivating connections at a few local community colleges, and is excited to broaden our impact and bring opportunities to more students.
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Creating the Future
Now
There is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of GreenLight. Despite all the current hardships and uncertain times, the best is yet to come, and that the sustainability revolution is just beginning. GreenLight will continue to fulfill its mission and continue helping businesses learn about and adopt sustainability initiatives.
