Events & Activities

When: Times vary by date and location
Where: Buffalo, Cortland, New Paltz, New York City & Syracuse

NYPIRG student chapters are hosting a series of events across the state to continue the conversation about the future of New York’s energy supply and how Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and large load data centers used for artificial intelligence (AI) will play a role. We will hear from a range of community experts, professors, advocates, and local elected representatives at these forums. All are encouraged to attend and ask questions!

Visit our event registration forms for individual event details and to RSVP, and we will follow up with a reminder and more information as each event approaches.

We hope to see you there!
When: 9:30am - 5pm
Where: SUNY Purchase

RSVP today for NYPIRG's Fall 2026 Student Empowerment Conference on Saturday, November 14 at SUNY Purchase! Students from across the state will be convening for a full day of programming and meeting like-minded students from other campuses!
 
You'll have the opportunity to learn from NYPIRG staff and student leaders about our work to protect the environment, make healthcare more affordable, fix the MTA, support free and fully funded public college, and more! There will also be workshops to develop public speaking and other career and leadership skills. You won't want to miss it!

There's a $15 fee to cover transportation and food, which are all provided. RSVP now to save your spot! We can't wait to see you there! 

When:
Thursday October 15, 3:30pm
Thursday November 12, 6pm
Wednesday December 9, 5 pm
Where: Virtual

NYPIRG is hosting a series of virtual workshops to catch students up to date on the most pressing issues occurring in New York State in 2026. 

This semester, NYPIRG is hosting workshops focusing on energy hogging data centers, building decarbonization and solarizing New York. Attend one or all three! RSVP here and we look forward to meeting with you!

  • October Solar-bration: Thursday October 15, 3:30pm - Dive into solar power, battery storage and the fight to break free from fossil fuels
  • Data Centers & New York State: Thursday November 12, 6pm - Learn about the onslaught of proposed data centers in New York State

  • Getting NYC Off Gas and Oil - For Our Wallets and Our Lungs: Wednesday December 9, 5 pm - Join NYC Organizer Cecilia Ellis for a discussion on New York City Energy and Climate Policies

RSVP!

Where: NYC

NYPIRG is proud to partner once again with the NYC Civic Engagement Commission to run Idea Generation Sessions in the 5th cycle of the People's Money, NYC's participatory budgeting initiative where community members choose how to spend a portion of the city's budget.

In these sessions, students will come together to learn about the city's budget, discuss problems their boroughs face, and propose potential solutions.  These solution proposals will be developed by borough assemblies in the next phase of the People's Money to be voted on in the spring.

Participate! To find your local NYPIRG People's Money Idea Generation Session, reach out to your NYPIRG chapter. 

These idea generation sessions are open to all New Yorkers 11-years-old and up, regardless of immigration status. You can learn more about the People's Money at participate.nyc.gov.

When: 8am to 9pm
Where: Poll sites across the state

NYPIRG partnered with the NY Election Protection Coalition to empower voters! NYPIRG student volunteers were stationed at poll sites this Election Day to answer questions from first time voters, educate voters about their rights, and identify any issues that students and community members faced at the polls.

NYPIRG voter engagement activities are strictly nonpartisan.

In the 2026 midterm election, students with NYPIRG made over 4,800 phone calls to their peers to get out the student vote! This November, New York voters voted on the next Governor, US Representatives, State Senators, State Assembly Members, and more. Students with NYPIRG contacted thousands of their peers to help them make a plan to turn out to the polls this election.

NYPIRG voter engagement activities are strictly nonpartisan.

Student volunteers with NYPIRG from campuses across New York State went door-to-door this Halloween season to collect donations to stock campus and community food pantries in advance of the holiday season.  Our food drives collected more than 12 thousand items which were donated to local food pantries. Thank you to all the student volunteers for their hard work and huge thanks to our generous neighbors who donated food this year!

 

NYPIRG Students registered over ten thousand students to vote in advance of the 2026 midterm election! In the 2022 midterm election, just 20.7% of youth (ages 18-29) turned out at the polls. This year, we worked to increase that number. Student volunteers mobilized their peers before the voter registration deadline, making class announcements, hosting voter registration tables, and talking to their classmates one-on-one around campus. Ultimately, we registered over ten thousand students to vote before the October 24th deadline. Students are making their voices heard!

Where: Campuses across the state

Hundreds of college students participated in NYPIRG Campaign Kickoff meetings across the state! Students heard from keynote speakers about how students can make a real difference on the most important issues of today. Student leaders shared issue updates and led breakout groups to plan our efforts to support and promote democracy, affordable higher education, environmental protection, consumer justice, public health, hunger awareness, accessible transit, and more.  

If you missed your local Kickoff meeting, there's still time to get involved! Reach out to your local NYPIRG chapter, or stop by the NYPIRG office.

Borough of Manhattan Community College
9 Murray Street, Lower Level
(212) 349-6460
bmcc@nypirg.org
 
Bronx Community College
Nichols 212
(718) 289-5409
bronx@nypirg.org
 
Brooklyn College
Ingersoll Hall, Room 1433
(718) 859-7177
brooklyn@nypirg.org
 
City College of NY
NAC Building, Room 1/120

(212) 650-5047
citycollege@nypirg.org
 
College of Staten Island
Campus Center, Room 1C-218

(718) 982-3109
csi@nypirg.org
 
Hunter College
East Buliding Room B111
(212) 722-4304
hunter@nypirg.org
 
NYC College of Technology
Pearl Building, Room 613
(718) 260-5045
citytech@nypirg.org
 
Pratt Institute
Chapel Hall 007
(718) 687-5792
pratt@nypirg.org
 
Purchase College
Campus Center North 1002B
(914) 251-6986
purchase@nypirg.org
 
Queens College
Student Union Building, Lower Level, Room 36
(718) 997-3954
queens@nypirg.org
 
Queensborough Community College
Student Union Building, Lower Level
qcc@nypirg.org
 
SUNY Cortland
Corey Union, Room 215
(607) 753-4815
cortland@nypirg.org
 
SUNY New Paltz
Student Union Building 322
(845) 257-3085
newpaltz@nypirg.org
 
Syracuse University & SUNY ESF
756 S Crouse Ave, FL 2 Frnt Syracuse NY 13210
(315) 476-8381
syracuse@nypirg.org
Where: Campuses across the state

To kickoff the start of our 2026 voter registration drive, NYPIRG chapters at campuses across New York State hosted voter registration tables all day to engage students in civic action and register new voters.  All in all, we registered more than one thousand student voters in a single day.

Where: New York City
 

NYPIRG is proud to once again have partnered with the New York City Civic Engagement Commission to get out the vote for The People's Money, the annual citywide participatory budgeting initiative where community members decide how to spend part of the city’s budget to help their communities thrive.  Following up our Participatory Budgeting Idea Generation sessions in fall 2025, students in New York City cast votes to decide which programs and events would be funded in their boroughs.

Thank you to all who participated!