Meet SEEDS: Planting the seed of a brighter future

Nathaniel Flores

Getting a closer look at the garden, President Grace Lee gives examples of the community work and activities SEEDS has done.

Vivien Noe, Staff Reporter • September 16, 2025

Although some argue that younger generations are no longer interested in spending time outdoors, The University of Texas at El Paso’s student organization, Strategies for Ecology, Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS), shows ongoing student interest in environmental engagement.

The team of environmental advocates is united by a common calling, using the power of education and teamwork to live up to their name SEEDS.

Their activities range from picnics, to thrifting and working on exhibitions like the UTEP Biodiversity collections.

Members have also hiked trails in the Franklin mountains and participated in outreach efforts including a tabling they did at a Coldplay concert in June. Through it all, they emphasize their mission of educating fellow students on topics such as sustainability and conservation of the environment.

As the new semester begins, the Fall 2025 SEEDS officers plan to keep up with building a community that cares for the environment.

However, they haven’t limited themselves to just El Paso. They have also partnered up with the Ecological Society of America (ESA) to make a bigger impact and give students a space to network and find professional opportunities.

SEEDS’ President Grace Lee and Vice-President Persephone Saavedra say their main goal is to reach as many people as possible.

Standing back to back, President Grace Lee and Vice President Persephone Saaverda talk about the sense of community that is found and made inside the organization. (Nathaniel Flores)

“As an organization our goal is to advance underrepresented students in the ecology professional sphere,” Lee said.

SEEDS is not limited to only environmental sciences majors. Members have many different academic backgrounds and career goals, including criminal justice, political science and biomedical sciences, yet together understand the importance of a healthy environment for a brighter future.

“We’ve had a lot of other majors. We are people who are interested in science and helping the environment,” Saavedra said.

Many wonder why students should care about the environment.

“Environment affects everything and is affected by everything, and El Paso is no exception” Lee said.

The Office of Climate and Sustainability here in El Paso, states that the city currently faces climate issues, such as urban heat, light pollution and dust storms. SEEDS has been making constant efforts to help the community.

“We do a lot of cleanups,” Saavedra said. “We collaborate with organizations, like Sun City Pickers and we do trash pickups all around the city. We also do trail work in collaboration with Frontera Land Alliance, to make trails safer and more accessible to everyone.”

Gently holding a flower Vice President Persephone Saaverda explains the work SEEDS has done in the UTEP geology garden and gives insight onto the plants and wildlife of El Paso. (Nathaniel Flores)

Both students agreed that a key issue for generation Z is climate grief, the feeling that making a change is hopeless, or that individual actions cannot help global conditions improve.

“Communication is very important, not a lot of people know what’s going on. There is a lot of misinformation. Education is the way to combat that,” Saavedra said.

To fight this, they plan to open a committee to publish posts about what people can do day-to day to help global conditions improve.

“Most climate change news makes people feel really pressured to be this perfect person, but that’s impossible,” Saavedra said. “Encouraging people to do small things is what we want to do.”

SEEDS is an organization based on science and making an impact through teamwork. As Lee put it, the organization welcomes all students who want to help build a community while doing something that is good for the environment.

Vivien G. Noe is a staff reporter for The Prospector and may be reached at  [email protected]

About the Contributors

Vivien Noe, Staff Reporter

Vivien Noe is a sophomore at the University of Texas at El Paso, pursuing a dual degree in psychology and media advertising. During the fall semester, she is working as a staff reporter for The Prospector. Noe also participates in volunteer organizations such as Women’s Volunteer Organization and College Double T Health Professions Honor society. Her long-term goal is to establish a career in psychology, using her skills in journalism and advertising to combat misinformation and raise campaigns about important social issues such as mental health and civil rights.

Nathaniel Flores, Staff Photographer

Nathaniel Flores is a freshman at the University of Texas at El Paso studying multimedia journalism. He is a staff photographer at the Prospector. After graduation he hopes to work in the film industry while also pursuing a career as a physical therapist.