Category Archives: Organization

Sustainability Investment Group

The Sustainability Investment Group (SIG) is UT’s first and only student-led organization focused on sustainable finance, impact investing, and research related to environmental policy and climate change. SIG is housed under the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute and focuses on investment, impact, innovation, and inquiry.

We are currently recruiting students to join us and more information can be found at texassig.org. Any and all majors and disciplines are welcome to apply. We are hosting info sessions and coffee chats this week and our application will be due on September 7th at 11:59 p.m. Inquiries can be sent to team@texassig.org.

Texas Civic Ambassador Program

The Texas Civic Ambassador program is designed to enhance students’ understanding of democratic principles, further develop civic identities, and foster reflective and strategic civic action. During their ambassadorship, students will gain the knowledge and skills to engage their peers in the political process and promote civic engagement on their campuses and communities.

Ambassadors participate in a year of service, education, and leadership that supports civic life in Texas. They receive free admission to all 2021-2022 Annette Strauss Institute events, the 2021 Texas Tribune Festival, and participate in a four-day Texas Civic Ambassador Leadership Summit. The deadline to apply is July 14, 2021.

Download the program flyer here. Learn more on their web page!

Junior Fellows Recruiting

Junior Fellows is recruiting! We are looking for enterprising rising juniors in all disciplines who have research plans for the next two years at UT.  More information and the application can be found on the COLA website:

 https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/lahonors/programs/junior-fellows/index.php

Application is open to any qualified student from any program on campus who will have completed 60 hours prior to the Fall semester. Junior Fellows normally have a GPA of at least 3.75, but outstanding students whose abilities are manifested in other ways should not hesitate to apply. Although administered by the College of Liberal Arts, the program is open to all qualified students on campus. Many students from outside Liberal Arts are currently members.

The application deadline will be extended to April 15 for first round consideration, but we will continue to accept applications until the last class day.

We will be accepting electronic applications only. Please submit no more than 2 files and use some form of the applicant’s last name as the files’ name. Also, clearly indicate expected date of graduation.

Membership in Junior Fellows begins the fall semester following the spring recruitment period.

Effective Altruism Austin

Wondering what to do with your life? So are we!

We run discussions and events about which careers, causes and charities have a BIG social impact. Effective altruism is a growing social movement about using evidence and reason to help others in the most impactful ways possible.

From poverty to climate change to artificial intelligence, we’ve got the community and ideas to help you address the world’s most pressing problems. We also raise money for effective charities and do socials and service events.

All our general meetings are held virtually via zoom on Wednesdays from 5:30-7pm. Social events every 2 weeks on Fridays from 6-9pm, usually in-person and outside. Service events every 1-2 months.

Join our groupme here bit.ly/eagroupme, sign up for our biweekly newsletter here bit.ly/eamember, and learn more about the Effective Altruism movement here bit.ly/introea

Sustaining Democracy Book Club!

Sustaining Democracy is a new book club that provides UT students a space in which to read and discuss key thinkers and texts, both canonical and contemporary, that lay the foundations for democratic and ethical governance. Readings will highlight the specific ways that ethical and democratic governance is undermined by authoritarianism, tribalism, and political corruption. Interested students should email hina.azam@austin.utexas.edu for any questions or to join.

For the Spring 2021 semester, we will complete How Democracies Die, by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, from the previous semester. For the remainder of the semester, we will read Sinclair Lewis’s 1935 classic fictional work, It Can’t Happen Here.

Participants are responsible for acquiring their own copies of the book. Meetings will usually be held on Thursdays at 5 pm; all meetings this semester will be held via Zoom. The Sustaining Democracy book club is open to all UT students.  To join, register at:

https://utexas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUof–srz8sGdZPI4XbjA_fKat9UpRMMWJP

For questions, please email Dr. Hina Azam at hina.azam@austin.utexas.edu.

SPRING 2021 SCHEDULE:

  • Tue 3/25: It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.1-7
  • Thu 4/8: It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.8-15   
  • Thu 4/15: It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.16-23
  • Thu 4/22: : It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.24-31
  • Thu 5/6: : It Can’t Happen Here, Chs.32-38 (end of book)

Please self-enroll in the “Sustaining Democracy” Canvas group for up-to-date information on readings, meetings, etc: https://utexas.instructure.com/enroll/H4E8NF

Information on SCEE !

Students for Central and Eastern Europe (SCEE), UT Austin’s newest human rights advocacy organization, is currently accepting new members! At SCEE, we are dedicated to engaging students with social and political rights issues occuring in Central and Eastern Europe and supporting NGOs, grassroots movements, and student organizations that advocate for greater social and political rights in these regions. Using our voices and university resources in direct advocacy methods to empower our fellow global citizens in their fight against political suppression, racism, homophobia, sexism, and other forms of discrimination, we hope to forge deeper ties between future leaders of the United States and those of Central and Eastern Europe.” 

If you are interested in SCEE you can fill out this interest form for more information. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmW6PccsV0Ze-oTgr0xvyN9fsQzWvqQOBK2oOHtMXOVjA2nw/viewform

The Texas Orator Recruitment

The Texas Orator is a multi-partisan, peer-reviewed political publication at the University of Texas. We value thorough analysis in our articles and strive to protect the ideals of free speech and unhindered access to information on campus and nationwide. We seek to keep the student body informed of the implications of ever-changing political climates, both domestically and abroad, from a range of voices and perspectives. We have been indexed as scholarly literature by the UT Libraries and by UT Undergraduate Studies. We publish daily online during the semester on a range of topics, including culture, arts, philosophy, domestic affairs, and foreign affairs, and publish an annual journal as well.

We are currently accepting applications for staff writers, guest writers, copy editors, photojournalists, graphic designers, satirists, cartoonists, and more for the Spring 2021 semester!

Apply here by February 17th. If interested in other positions, email thetexasorator@gmail.com.

Check out our Facebook page for upcoming recruitment events — info sessions and meet and greets — and their respective Zoom links.

Magazine Publication Opportunity

Calling all writers and especially artists!

Prickly Magazine is looking for fresh talent to join our team to put out our third issue for the Spring!  Build your portfolio, get helpful feedback from a team of passionate artists and writers, and join our family. 

Prickly is the only magazine on campus that incorporates animated art with creative writing. Every semester we publish an online body of work in addition to a physical magazine. If you get as pumped about expression and believe a little creative vision can make the world 10x more colorful, submit your application! 

Check out our works from Fall 2020 here: bit.ly/PricklyMag

Apply here: bit.ly/ApplyPrickly

For questions, contact us at pricklymagazine@gmail.com

UT Meditation Club

If you’re interested in learning how to meditate or are an experienced meditator yourself, you should join the UT Meditation Club!

We meet every Sunday at 2:45pm (CT) using the Zoom link below. We meditate for about 20-30 minutes and then have an optional discussion. We focus on mindfulness meditation but like to mix up the style and length of meditation each week in order to broaden our practices. In the future, we also hope to have guest speakers, go on meditation retreats, and engage in mindful community service. The club is low stress and high reward. Meet new people and make an investment in your mental wellbeing! Beginners welcome!

Membership Form: https://forms.gle/3mpUhYhZKPyVdB3DA

Zoom link: https://utexas.zoom.us/j/94800596558

Join UT Polish Club!

Nathan Silverstein, a Polish American student and member of LAH 2024, is starting a UT Polish Club! In all, the UT Polish Club will be a great way to meet fellow Longhorns, eat amazing food, and learn about Poland’s rich culture.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please fill out this short Google Form and you will get more details soon. Please note: EVERYONE is welcome, whether you are Polish or not!

Also, since this is a new club, many officer positions will be available, including as high as Vice President!

UT Polish Club [virtual] activities include:

  • Guest speakers
  • Discussing Polish politics and current events
  • Celebrating Polish holidays and traditions
  • Polish movie nights
  • Polish sporting-event watch parties
  • Polish TV show clubs
  • Polish book clubs
  • Learning about Polish history
  • Practicing speaking (or learning) Polish!

Some ideas for when the pandemic is over are:

  • Cooking delicious Polish food together (pierogis, cheesecake, and doughnuts, oh my!)
  • Attending Polish community events (like Austin’s Bigos Cook-Off, the Austin Polish Film Festival, and visiting Panna Maria (the first Polish settlement in Texas and in the U.S. in general))