Q & A with Hunter Armstrong, co-founder of SCC

Jeremy Piper, co-founder of the new, UWO club Titan Students for a Cleaner Community, poses with garbage collected by students on and around campus.

Neal Hogden, Managing Editor
October 24, 2018

Q. What’s the goal of Titan Students for a Cleaner Community?

A. The goal of Titan SCC is to clean the community block by block in an effort to bring the true beauty and potential out of the neighborhood and increase citizen’s and student’s motivation to take that second out of their day to stop, bend over and pick up that loose plastic bottle and dispose of it properly. Future goals of Titan SCC include spreading the reach of our organization to other areas of the Oshkosh community and eventually expanding on to other campuses throughout the State of Wisconsin. The Phoenix SCC (UW-Green Bay), the Badger SCC (UW Madison), the Pioneer SCC (UW-Platteville), etc…

From left, Emily Eresh, William Nebus and Natalie Kostman pose with garbage collector equipment.
From left, Emily Eresh, William Nebus and Natalie Kostman pose with garbage collector equipment.

Q. How often does Titan SCC meet?

A. Since our creation in March of last spring we have met one Sunday each month. Obviously when there is snow covering the ground it is difficult to find trash and even more difficult to motivate people to walk around for two hours if it’s frigid outside. That is why we would like to transition Titan SCC into more of a community volunteer group during the winter season. As we add more students to our roster we will most likely meet with more frequency and quite possibly end up regularly meeting on a weeknight that works best for our members.

From left, Natalie Kostman, Jeremy Piper, Elizabeth Armstrong, Miklyn Armstrong and Emily Eresh present a large amount of garbage collected during an outing to clean the campus.
From left, Natalie Kostman, Jeremy Piper, Elizabeth Armstrong, Miklyn Armstrong and Emily Eresh present a large amount of garbage collected during an outing to clean the campus.

Q. How can students get involved with Titan SCC?

A. Any students that want to get involved and help build up their community and University, please find and message Titan SCC’s page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/OshkoshTitanSCC) or get ahold of me through email at . We plan on reaching out to preexisting organizations like SEAC, Green Fund and the Campus Sustainability Council to find the best ways to expand, develop efficiency and become as inclusive a group as we can be.

Q. What has gone into the process of getting Titan SCC recognized as a student organization so it can gain traction with the student body?

A. The process of getting Titan SCC recognized by the Oshkosh Student Association started last March when my roommate, Jeremy Piper, and I decided to create a student-operated organization that was dedicated to picking up trash and recycling in the community right off campus. We hosted our own events through the use of our Facebook page, @OshkoshTitanSCC, and picked up over 100 pounds of refuse over the summer. The project for the fall was getting Titan SCC officially recognized by the OSA. New organizations are required to have at least four students on their roster as well as a faculty or staff adviser. Titan SCC reached out to the superintendent of the University, Frank Mazanka, who has proven to be more than accommodating in regards to assistance with the disposal of the collected trash. After getting paperwork approved, new organizations must also appeal to already-existing student clubs during OSA Assembly as well as appeal to OSA senators, who will then sponsor and vote your organization into existence or reject your organization in extreme circumstances.

Q. Do you have anything else to add about the club?

A. It is up to all of those who would identify as human to take care of this planet. We can start the change here. Help us better our city, our state, our planet, our home.