Friday, March 30, 2007
Studie Red Corn engages in more than half a dozen organizations at the University of Kansas, but most of his interests intertwine on common ground.
“A lot of it boils back to sustainability, really,” he said. “It’s a cultural issue; it’s an economic issue; it’s a political issue; it’s an everybody issue.”
pullquote
What I fear most is sitting in a cubicle and making lots of money, but not actually doing anything.
-Studie Red Corn, Shawnee junior
On campus, Red Corn, Shawnee junior, is regional director of the environmental group 2020 Vision, representative of First Nations Student Association and a multicultural affairs committee chair. He is also a member of Student Senate. Last year he ran for student body president in the Delta Force coalition.
“What I fear most is sitting in a cubicle and making lots of money,” he said, “but not actually doing anything.”
Before spring break, Red Corn received more than 1,000 signatures in 5 hours for a proposed referendum, which is now scheduled for April’s election ballot. The referendum would reallocate $1.50 of existing student fees to entice the University to be 20 percent renewable in its resource use by 2020.
“It’s an attainable goal,” he said. “It’s something we can get if we start working towards it.”
Bryan Young, assistant professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, said he had known Red Corn for two years through two of his classes.
“He’s very proactive and has a lot of enthusiasm for trying to get things done,” Young said.
Young said Red Corn created a storm-water recycling project with him this semester, something Young called Red Corn’s “brain child.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to dabble in politics and environmentalism,” Young said. “That’s a great combination.”
Red Corn’s environmental interest began in high school, where he studied stream testing and alternative energies in an environmental problems class. He also studied medicinal and indigenous usage of plants, including sumac, which he called the “first aid kit of plants.”
He said different parts of the sumac, such as the bark or berries, could be used to relieve headaches or even cover Native American dwellings called wickiups, which he helped his grandpa build and rebuild during summers in Oklahoma.
“I always wanted to be more,” Red Corn said. “Making change on campus is a long process. If I would have known, I would have started earlier.”
Kansan staff writer Brian Lewis-Jones can be contacted at bljones@kansan.com.
– Edited by Trevan McGee
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