“It [the project] started last June when Ava emailed me about the Youth Climate Action Fund opportunity,” Pia Goodell, a Boise State student, said in an interview with The Arbiter.
“I had actually already been formulating some ideas with my mentor at the Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition. Since our non-profit’s focus is on clean transportation, we thought focusing on e-mobility infrastructure on Boise State’s campus could be a great project,” Goodell said.
Goodell explained that after receiving a $5000 micro-grant, she and project partner Ava Straub had to stick to their budget. After applying in June, Goodell and Straub heard their project was selected and began working with partners to find and create the e-scooter and e-bike charging stations.
Boise State’s Fleet Management and Boise State Transportation were two partners Goodell highlighted as being integral to the project coming to fruition.
With so many businesses and local organizations being a part of the project, in big and small ways, Goodell admitted initially feeling a sense of imposter syndrome.
“There were a lot of moments where I felt in over my head,” Goodell said. “As a college student, talking with professionals in their field and constantly emailing them asking for updates and information felt a little wonky. The truth was that all of these organizations that were supporting us were so excited to help and ensure that the project was completed.”
“I gained a lot of valuable project management experience and it was truly amazing that the peer I worked on this project with was my roommate and best friend. Some nights when one of us would be making dinner, we’d give each other updates and bounce ideas off one another,” Goodell said.
Straub’s vision for the future of sustainability at Boise State is increased options for climate-friendly transportation.
“I, for one, hope that the future of sustainability at BSU looks like more accessibility for alternative and more climate-friendly transportation and encourages students to find other ways to get to campus if they are living nearby. Encouraging this alternative transportation can also reduce costs for students by not needing to purchase the coveted parking passes that sometimes prove unreliable during peak class times,” Straub said.
Straub expressed that as college students with jobs outside the project work, it was often difficult to find times for everyone to meet.
“A little behind-the-scenes on the project at the start included a lot of meetings with various partners involved with the project. It was a struggle to find times when everyone could meet — especially considering my and Pia’s demanding class and work schedules,” Straub said. “It seemed like there was a single 30-minute block of time during the week where we could hold meetings and everyone could make it.”
Straub said if she and Goodell weren’t roommates, finding the time would’ve been infinitely more challenging. Having an instantaneous answer when Goodell or Straub had questions helped keep the project on schedule.
Randi Walkins, climate action and sustainability coordinator for the City of Boise, shared how this project establishes a sense of awareness for e-bike and scooter usage on campus.
“The positive impact of this project will be multi-dimensional,” Walkins said. “First, it provides an option for e-mobility charging on Boise State’s campus that wasn’t previously available leading to additional alternative transportation opportunities for students, faculty, and staff. And, second, it builds awareness of e-bike and e-scooter usage on campus for folks that don’t currently use this form of transportation and might be able to switch from driving a car on and near campus to using this cleaner form of transportation.
“The most rewarding part of this project, from my perspective, is the fact that this was an entirely student-led project from start to finish. Pia and Ava had a vision for this project, applied for funding, were awarded, executed the project and planned its launch,” Walkins said.
Walkins continued by stating that she hopes other students will be inspired by Straub and Goodell’s efforts.
“Overall, this project was exciting and provided us with great experiences that we are now able to take with us into the workforce and graduate school after graduation this May. This project truly would not have been possible without Pia’s dedication and tenacity, she really inspired me throughout the process,” Straub shared.
Goodell put on an event with the Treasure Valley Clean Cities Coalition, Idaho Power and Valley Regional Transit on April 17, 2025, to “raise more awareness of e-bikes and the charging stations”. The event featured educational materials and an e-bike giveaway.
This article was edited on Monday, April 21, 2025, to correct spelling errors.
