Beginning in the fall 2026 semester, a student-led thrift initiative will open its doors in the ELC. Located next to the CAP Center (in the old 067 office space), Bison Thrift will embody a sustainability and community-support initiative that seniors Elliott Kilgallen and Ella Slayton have been working on for two years. Slayton was formerly the Sustainability Chair for Bucknell Student Government; Kilgallen currently holds the position and over both of their tenures, in Slayton’s words, they’ve committed to pushing for “sustainability initiatives” to “set an example for other universities” with how significantly Bucknell is able to “reduce their carbon footprint and increase circularity by eliminating waste.”
Slayton’s goal has always been to “leave the University a better place than [she] found it.” By expanding Bucknell’s sustainability impact through an enterprise that students will have personal interest in, the Environmental Studies and Political Science major hopes to continue to fulfill that goal. “Elliot and I have both noticed that Bucknell students contribute a significant amount of waste each year through fast fashion, event-specific clothing purchases, and broader trends of overconsumption,” Slayton says.
Kilgallen, a Cell Biology/Biochemistry major with a minor in Sociology, has been similarly “committed to sustainability efforts on Bucknell’s campus” throughout her time as a Bucknellian. With this initiative and others like it, Kilgallen’s “primary goals have been to increase volunteering efforts, and raise awareness about sustainability on campus and in the greater Lewisburg community.”
Their past efforts—including a collaboration with BSG, the Religious and Spiritual Life office and the local nonprofit DIG Furniture Bank on a “Sustainable Move-Out” initiative—have been met with great success. They hope that momentum will carry into Bison Thrift, which will, after an initial bout of funding to “support student workers, purchase basic equipment, and set up the physical space,” be self-sustaining.
“Affordable secondhand clothing” will become readily available to students from an on-campus location, following a worthwhile model that many universities nationwide have already begun to operate to “recycle” what would otherwise become “waste, year-round.” The fall 2026 semester will host the pilot period for Bison Thrift, after which, assuming success, the store will truly kick into gear with revenue from clothing sales supporting the costs for the space and student workers’ hours. Beginning in that fall 2026 semester, students will be able to donate clothing via a collection bin outside of the room during the operating hours for the store: Monday through Wednesday, 2:00-6:00 pm. For obvious reasons, clothing must be washed and clean prior to donation. Bison Thrift will be accepting dresses, coats, pants/shorts/skirts, tops, shoes in good condition and clothing accessories. Damaged or stained clothing, bedding or undergarments, items requiring repair, hazardous or bulky materials and most non-clothing items will not be accepted.
“There is so much potential for this to grow,” Slayton says, looking ahead to the future. “We are currently in the process of interviewing students who will carry this project forward after [Kilgallen and Slayton] graduate” as a paid position, posted on the Bison Work platform. Official oversight will be consistently administered by the Sustainability Committee within BSG.
Slayton and Kilgallen want to shout out the “incredible mentors” they’ve gotten advice and guidance from along the way. “Erin Paschal, Associate Dean of Student Life, has been our primary mentor, and we truly could not have done this without her. Lori Wilson, Executive Director of Business Services, and Dana Mims, Associate Vice President of Business Services, have also been extremely helpful in navigating the financials, logistics, and state tax considerations.” Since Bison Thrift will be effectively operating as a business—with money potentially going through campus dollars—the team has taken “additional measures” to ensure everything is up to par.
