Campus Action Now (CAN)

Fueling the Next Generation of Changemakers

Switch4Good’s Campus Action Now (CAN) is a service-learning program with big ambitions. We empower high school and university students to drive hopeful conversations about the benefits of a plant-based food system. In doing so, CAN students take on projects that advance climate action, food equity, and health awareness. They don’t just study the problems in textbooks—they roll up their sleeves and work on solutions that matter.

Our Challenge:

The Food System Polycrisis

Animal agriculture is one of the largest contributors to climate change, the loss of biodiversity, deforestation, and environmental pollution. The production of animal-based food requires massive amounts of land, water, and energy, while generating greenhouse gases at unsustainable levels. Yet many everyday Americans still believe plant-based eating is too costly, inconvenient, or lacking in nutrition.

CAN students work to solve problems critical for the survival of people, animals, and entire ecosystems.

While 80% of agricultural land is used for livestock farming, only 18% of calories consumed by people come from animal-based foods.
Fertilizer runoff causes aquatic ecosystems to become overrun with decomposing plant matter, depleting oxygen for other organisms. An example is the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone.
The expansion of farmland for cattle farming in the Amazon is a primary driver of deforestation in the world’s largest rainforest.

Our Solution:

Students Leading Change

University campuses have always been powerful incubators for social change. From the civil rights movement in the 1960s to the environmental activism of the 1970s, students have proven time and again that their voices can reshape society. Today, the challenge of transitioning to a sustainable food system calls for that same energy, creativity, and moral leadership.

CAN helps student leaders clearly define problems with our current food system and explore a range of potential solutions:

Debunking myths about plant-based eating.
Fulfilling service-learning requirements with projects that matter.
Building professional skills in communication, advocacy, and leadership.
Creating ripple effects—nudging peers, families, and communities.

Learn More About Student Programs

How Does CAN Work?

Service learning blends academic study with meaningful community service. CAN equips students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to real-world climate and food system challenges.

Through CAN, students complete projects that advance:

🌍 Sustainability
🥦 Food equity
💡 Health and wellness

How Are We Doing?

In just our first year, we’ve seen remarkable success.

Recruited 125 students from 23 schools
Completed 40 separate projects
Three university students completed 10-week CAN internships

All CAN graduates developed valuable, marketable skills in advocacy, research, communications, critical thinking, strategic planning, and leadership.

Why Do It?

What do students gain from working with us at CAN?
Aside from the obvious satisfaction of helping solve the biggest global crisis of our time, the more immediate, personal benefits are compelling.

Building Marketable Skills

Through CAN, students gain real-world experiences that stand out on resumés and that AI can’t replicate. Past projects have included:

Market research
Policy and legislative advocacy
Digital marketing campaigns
Nonprofit development

What Students Say

I have developed my writing and communication skills immensely. I will be using skills I’ve learned from this service learning project to launch my professional career.

Amy

Finding Mentorship & Community

CAN is not just a program—it’s a community of changemakers. Students work closely with Switch4Good mentors and peers, receiving guidance and support in a collaborative environment.

The guidance, down-to-earth advice, and encouragement I got from the Switch4Good CAN team was more than I expected. It felt like they were invested in me—and that made me determined to do the best possible work I could do.

Matt

When I decide to do something, I always commit 100%. The CAN team recognized that, encouraged it, and also supported me to the max. That reciprocity is a rare treat.

Trinity

Making Impact That Counts

Students care about the future of the planet, their health, and the fairness of the systems that shape their lives. Through CAN, they get the chance to channel those passions into real change. CAN projects create visible results on campuses and beyond. From hosting awareness campaigns to shaping dining options, students see firsthand that their work makes a difference.

Pushing curriculum forward

College syllabi need to keep up with the needs of the times. In the face of climate change, students want to know how they can help shape our food systems for the better. Incorporating experiential learning ensures that college courses teach students how to work for sustainability in whatever career path they pursue.

Through these experiences, I strengthened my skills in marketing, research, and project management—but more importantly, I learned three key lessons: Innovation means asking questions and challenging assumptions; Impactful work requires reflection and wholehearted effort; The most meaningful opportunities bridge what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what you care about.

Trinity

This is what makes CAN so powerful.

It’s not just about checking a service-learning requirement box. It’s about transforming perspectives, making lasting change, building confidence, and inspiring lifelong leadership in sustainability.

Why Now?

It’s been said that to change the world, you must capture the hearts and minds of the next generation. At Switch4Good, we believe the challenge is even bigger. To transform the global food system into a more sustainable, equitable system, you need to capture the next generation’s hearts, minds, and stomachs.

That is the ultimate mission of CAN.

By helping students reimagine what we eat, how it’s produced, and how we can assure access to healthy, nutritious food, CAN is laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, plant-rich future. And the proof is already here—our first wave of CAN students has shown the creativity, commitment, and courage to make it happen.

So, will you join us?