SERC History
The Student Environmental Resource Center was envisioned in 2012 by UC Berkeley students who recognized the need for a campus space for the student environmental and sustainability community. In the same year, SERC student leaders received a grant from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) which allowed SERC to open its first temporary space in the Martin Luther King Jr, St Union Building.
In 2013, SERC received the CACSSF Recurring Grant, enabling SERC to transition from a registered student organization (RSO) to a campus department in the Division of Student Affairs. The transition included hiring the first full-time SERC Director in December 2013, as well as adding The Green Initiative Fund. to the SERC portfolio in recognition of their shared history as student-initiated sustainability-focused programs.
In 2016, SERC renewed The Green Initiative Fund at an increased fee until 2027 and was awarded a permanent center in the MLK Student Union basement, B North. The SERC space is critical to SERC’s objectives of cultivating discourse, creating collaborative working space, offering programs, and growing campus community, particularly student community and a sense of belonging. SERC moved to its official space and celebrated the grand opening in Spring 2019.
SERC’s staff has grown to three full-time staff and a thriving force of over 30+ student staff managing the day-to-day operations and environmental programs for the campus. In 2023, SERC celebrated its ten year anniversary as a campus department.
