Mission

The Greti U. Croft Center for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership (CUEL) empowers UC Santa Barbara undergraduates to become tomorrow’s environmental leaders and change-makers. Supporting the transition from classroom to career, CUEL connects students to training, resources, and relationships to unlock future possibilities.

 

Leadership Team

 

Dr. Simone Pulver

Faculty Director  

4312 Bren Hall, UC Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California 93106-4160

pulver@ucsb.edu

See Simone's profile

 

 

Dr. Erika Zollett

Executive Director

Ellison 1814, UC Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara, California 93106-4160

support@cuel.ucsb.edu

See Erika's profile

Beginnings

 

Formally launched in 2024, the Greti U. Croft Center for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership (CUEL) was developed in response to a growing demand for innovative solutions to environmental challenges. It stands as a cornerstone of UCSB's commitment to sustainability and environmental education, shaping the next generation of changemakers.

CUEL builds on UCSB’s history of over five decades of environmental education, cutting-edge research, and public service that began in 1970, in the wake of the Santa Barbara oil spill.  The center emerged out of the Environmental Leadership Incubator (ELI), established in 2019 as a pioneering initiative to empower students with the skills and experiences needed to become leaders in the environmental field. ELI provides students with a hands-on, interdisciplinary learning experience, combining coursework with real-world projects and mentorship from environmental professionals.  Over the years, the ELI program has evolved to include a diverse range of projects and initiatives, from a running shoe recycling program to certifying UCSB as a bee-friendly campus, all the while fostering a community of passionate and driven environmental leaders. 

Foundational support for ELI was provided by four generous donors: Richard Landers, Terilynn Langsev, Greti U. Croft, and Chris Fletcher.  In 2022, Greti U. Croft generously included a bequest to UC Santa Barbara in her will, ensuring that her legacy will continue to support the educational and leadership mission of ELI and CUEL for years to come. We thank all the ELI and CUEL donors and supporters for their contributions, encouragement, and guidance. 

Greti U. Croft

Greti Unterthiner Croft, a mother, dear friend to many, teacher, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, led an extraordinarily rich life filled with love and adventure. Intelligent, irreverent, and outspoken, Greti was a woman of depth and character with a sharp mind and keen wit. She lived life on her terms and often circumvented the societal and cultural stereotypes and limits imposed on women of her generation. She had a lust for life, a deep philosophical curiosity, and a love of the arts and culture. She was open to progressive ideas and adventures. 

Beyond those whose lives she touched directly, Greti dedicated herself to improving the world for future generations. She invested in solar power for her large properties at great cost to herself, reducing their carbon emissions and providing free electricity to many of her tenants. Greti also made philanthropic contributions to education and the environment, including to UCSB to further the objectives of the Environmental Leadership Incubator and to allow the creation of the Greti U. Croft Center for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership (CUEL). 
 

 

Greti U. Croft

Advisory Board

Coming soon