Collaboration with Local Colleges and Universities
Cal Poly University Honors Program
We partner closely with the Cal Poly Honors Program to provide honors students with unique, hands-on learning and volunteer experiences that combine academic research and environmental conservation. Through FEATHER, honors students engage in fieldwork, data collection, and college-readiness curriculum as mentors to AVID students. This partnership not only enhances their understanding of real-world environmental challenges but also provides valuable opportunities for professional development and community engagement.
Bird Friendly Campus
Birds killed by window strikes in Toronto [Patricia Homonylo, Bird Photographer of the Year, 2024]
It’s estimated that up to 1 billion birds die per year as a result of window strikes in the United States alone. Millions of birds use the Central Coast as a breeding territory, a migration stopover, or wintering grounds, and these birds, especially migrants, are at high risk of window collisions. We’re doing our part to ensure that the Central Coast can be a safe place for these birds.
We work closely with the Cal Poly Honors Program and the Biological Sciences dept. at Cal Poly to assess the impact of bird window collisions on Cal Poly’s campus in close partnership with Bird Friendly Campus, a collaborative project led by a research group at the University of Washington
Cal Poly University Honors students have the opportunity to take a 1-unit seminar co-advised by Dr. Gita Kolloru and Program Director Torrey Gage-Tomlinson to collect data on window collisions on Cal Poly’s campus. As part of the class, students monitor buildings on Cal Poly’s campus for deceased/injured birds as a result of window strikes. Using the Avian Impact app, they report these data to a team of researchers at the University of Washington who analyze and interpret it. Based on these data, we hope to work with Cal Poly to draw conclusions on how to best protect birds on the Central Coast.
College Corps
We are proud to be a Community Host Organization for the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program, which provides students with meaningful opportunities to serve their communities, gain valuable work experience, and earn financial support for their education, while providing NGOs, like us, with valuable support.
We currently host three College Corps fellows who work part-time for us over the course of the academic year. They mainly conduct in-person activities relating to FEATHER, but also work on projects at Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, communications, and other areas within MCAS.
In future years, we hope to expand our capacity as a Community Host Organization and host additional fellows.
