Pacific Power provided Central Oregon Community College with a grant to install EV Charging stations and purchase fully electric vehicles for the COCC automotive program and fleet in both Prineville and Bend campuses. 350 Deschutes, a local nonprofit organization focusing on climate issues in Deschutes County, has partnered with COCC and is responsible for providing the education to promote these new locations, as well as for the existing EV Charging in Madras and Redmond campuses.
COCC partnered with 350 Deschutes on the education portion as they will hire and manage an EV Ambassador. According to Diane Hodiak of 350 Deschutes, the organization would like a COCC student hired for the position since they would be on campus and helping promote and run events. The student would receive an initial stipend, and 350 Deschutes is also searching for someone who could potentially move into a part-time or full-time position.
Some of the requirements of the position are: to educate students and staff about EV technology and infrastructure, participate in and promote campus events and to participate in a training session with 350 Deschutes. Applicants will learn about incentives for electric vehicles, how they work, as well as costs to obtain and operate and the EV charging infrastructure.
Students interested in the position can go to 350 Deschutes’ website, or they can directly email Hodiak their resume, at [email protected]
The organization is seeking out a student ambassador, preferably who will be able to attend and promote the 2023 Climate Teach-In, which will be held on April 19 in the Bend campus, in Wille Hall.
According to Hodiak, the sustainability director that there would be charging on all four campuses. Since EV is an expensive endeavor, it was done in phases. COCC received funding and worked with 350 Deschutes for the first phase, which went to the Redmond and Madras campuses.
The organization has now received funding for Prineville and Bend campuses.
“There was a certain amount of charging in Bend, whereas there was no charging in Madras and very little in Redmond,” said Hodiak. “So we went to where we thought there would be needed. And now we’re happy that this will support the hybrid auto technician program too.
“We want to make sure that the students and the faculty understand that there are fantastic rebates out now for getting an electric vehicle,” said Hodiak.
“Electric vehicles are cheaper to run and operate. And because we’re a climate organization, we’re really happy to be promoting this, because it means that we’re going to be putting less pollution into our air. And addressing climate change, but also for the driver, these cars have no spark plugs, so you don’t have to do any oil changes. They’re very simply put together and cheaper to maintain,” she continued.
Miina McCown
Editor in Chief
