Centre Region


The Centre Region Council of Governments piloted the Community Stewardship Network in February 2025. The Community Stewardship Network was created as a result of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan’s implementation phase. It provides an opportunity for citizens to understand their local government’s policies, provide input, and empower them to foster synergetic engagement. 

The goal of the Community Stewardship Network is to build a regional network of community members equipped to facilitate relatable and meaningful conversations with constituents regarding the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). 

 

The 2025 Stewardship Cohort 

Stewards: 16 individuals are part of the 2025 stewardship cohort. The group consists of students, working, and retired individuals. Sustainability experience is varied.

Trainers: Training for the year-long stewardship network is in-person and required. This year, trainers included climate professionals and professors within the community. 

Trainers include a Team-Building specialist, Sustainability Chief Officer, Penn State faculty, and an elected official. 

Leadership and Organization: 2 Sustainability Leadership capstone students helped with administrative and coordination tasks to ensure the success of the first-year term. One full-time staff person was the main coordinator of the cohort, supervised by the Sustainability Planner.

 Stewards engage with students and community members at the Student Farm’s Earth Day Celebration       Stewards spot birds on the dock at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center.                  Stewards gather around the table to learn from Penn State faculty in the Morningstar Solar Home.     Stewards tour the Centre County Refuse and Recycling Center Authority, the location where all trash and recycling from the county go.      

 

Come check our table out at the following upcoming events:

  • Arts Fest 2025 (July 9 & 10)
  • Ferguson Municipal Mixer (July 23)

If you have an event that the stewards should table for, please contact us with the date, time, and location here

 

2026 Stewardship Cohort

Are you passionate about taking action in your community? Join the Community Stewardship Network, and you will have a platform and group of community members to make a change using a climate plan that is already prepared for implementing. You will receive free training, regardless of your background on community resilience topics. Anyone over the age of 18 is invited to register. We are looking for Community Stewards residing in State College Borough, Ferguson Township, College Township, Harris Township, Patton Township, and Halfmoon Township. Background knowledge in climate is not required. 

Networking brings people together for a similar cause. In this case, we hope to expand the outreach of information to our Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

Networking brings people together for a collective purpose. In this case, we are addressing the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan as a community to maximize impacts in the Centre Region. 
 
Benefits of being a steward include…
  • Free specialized training specific to Central Pennsylvania’s climate and our community
  • Leadership skills
  • Enhance professional development
  • Learn how to effectively talk about climate change and make connections to the co-benefits of action (economic, social, etc.)
  • Join a community of engaged citizens with a similar passion
 

Responsibilities of Community Stewards:

  • Community engagement –
    • Promote local sustainability implementation and improvement in accordance with the Centre Region Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP)
    • Relay feedback from community members about climate initiatives to enhance sustainability projects
  • Education –
    • Speak confidently about sustainability initiatives
    • Participate in workshops hosted by Centre Sustains
    • Assist with training the next cohort of stewards
  • Leadership –
    • Collaborate with local community members to promote sustainable initiatives
    • Serve as a role model for environmental health, community well-being and economic prosperity
    • Build trust in government, neighborhoods, and other communities that can have an impact on sustainability initiatives

 

Length of stewardship term: 1 year (January 2026-December 2026)

 

 

A year of stewardship... 

 

How to become a Steward:
1. Registration is not open yet. If you are interested in being notified when registration opens, click here. 
2. Complete 6 weeks of fun in-person trainings! Please only register if you can attend all 6 mandatory trainings. 

 6 Required Trainings: Details of training sessions for the 2026 stewardship term will be listed here. Please check back for this information!  

3.  Continued Trainings: As stewards continue engaging with constituents at community events, we will offer ongoing trainings about relevant and in-season topics. 

4. Stewardship Activities include...

Leading workshops and conversations at stewards’ network bases such as:

  • schools
  • neighborhoods
  • clubs
  • associations
  • youth groups
  • houses of worship 
  • book groups
  • PTOs

Tabling at community events such as: 

  • Earth Day
  • Arts Fest 

 

Capstone Project Opportunities

Students working toward a minor in Sustainability Leadership or Civic and Community Engagement are encouraged to consider using their capstone requirement to play an integral role in supporting The Community Stewardship Network. In doing so, students will develop practical, real-world experience in the following:

  • local public policy
  • climate action
  • community building
  • media promotion
  • managing engagement metrics
  • grant writing
  • event planning
  • leading a group
  • developing training sessions for climate action

Please fill out this interest form. Completion of the form does not indicate enrollment in the capstone project.

 

Individuals involved with the Stewardship Network 

Please reach out with questions to: 

Lydia Neuhauser - lneuhauser@crcog.net

Sustainability Coordinator for COG

Pam Adams - padams@crcog.net 

Sustainability Planner for COG