The Green Associate Exam Prep Course is designed to help students gain the knowledge they need in order to become LEED Green Associate certified. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a priority objective of the Sustainable Student Organization to educate others about how to be mindful of the environment and live more efficiently. James Grosch, vice president of the SSO and sophomore at Southeast Missouri State University, explained how important it is to be aware of the material being offered in the course.

"The biggest challenge is when you talk to people and they aren't thinking about things like recycling because they don't have the knowledge or they aren't interested," Grosch said. "Not a lot of young adults have the knowledge, the sustainability mindset, to know how much we need it and how much we need to be working towards sustainable living. Most of what I've read about sustainability is it's all about getting green done."

According to the SSO, green building practices can reduce the cost and amount of energy use, as well as provide healthier work and living spaces for the people who utilize them. Members want those without the knowledge to understand that sustainability is not just an extra step but a lifestyle.

"We want to get people thinking about sustainability and keep their minds open to things like urban development and neighborhood planning things like building houses and doing it in a way that saves more energy," Grosch said.

The course will be taught by Shelby Hicks, a Southeast instructor who has a Master of Fine Arts in interior architecture with a focus in sustainability. Although passing the Green Associate exam is not required for sustainability and interior design majors, it can set them apart from other candidates when it comes to landing a job, according to Hicks.

"Becoming LEED GA certified will definitely set them apart on their resume," Hicks said. "Employers these days are looking to save money, recycle and cut costs. Employees at large companies who are LEED GA certified are the go-to people for sustainable practices."

Although the course was initially targeted to sustainability and design students, the SSO has encouraged anyone who is interested in becoming LEED certified to participate. It is open to anyone who plans to take the exam in the future or wants to gain knowledge about LEED and the United States Green Building Council. The course was offered free to active USGBC members of the SSO and staff members who are involved in facilities management to encourage the use of sustainable practices on campus.

"I hope for it to be interactive," Hicks said. "V4 is the newest version of the LEED GA exam so the material covered in this course will be up to date for a while."

The course will consist of a series of PowerPoint presentations outlining the most important information concerning the Green Associate exam along with educational videos and group activities to stimulate full understanding of the study materials. Tucker Clements, president of the SSO and junior at Southeast, explained how important and beneficial this course will be to him.

"If we didn't have it, we would probably have a fifty-fifty shot at passing the exam," Clements said. "Getting certified will help me get an internship. It will be a great opportunity for me to get a great job right out of school. LEED will eventually be the new standard. We are just trying to get above that bar before it moves again."

The two-day study course will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 21-22 in Scully Building, room 224.Those who are non-members must register online by Feb. 15 and are required to pay a $200 fee. There are no eligibility requirements for taking the study course other than purchasing the two designated textbooks and downloading the free handbook.

Register for the LEED Green Associate Exam Prep Course and find study materials at usgbc-mogateway.org.

Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided to attendees throughout the duration of the course.

For any additional questions about the prep course or the SSO, contact Shelby Hicks at sshicks@semo.edu.