Public Engagement

Introduction

Engagement in community problem-solving is fundamental to sustainability. By engaging with community members and organizations in the governmental, non-profit and for-profit sectors, institutions can help solve sustainability challenges. Community engagement can help students develop leadership skills while deepening their understandings of practical, real-world problems and the process of creating solutions.

2946 resources

All We Need is Political Will: Empowering Students on Civic Engagement on Climate Change

  • Juniata College (PA)
  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)
  • U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
  • Citizens' Climate Lobby (CA)

At this critical time in our nation's history, the need to transition to a clean energy economy and a just and equitable society is more urgent than ever. Young ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Moving Toward Climate Justice Through Divestment and Reinvestment

  • Better Future Project (MA)

All colleges have an endowment that they use to invest in a broad range of industries. Divestment is a powerful tactic where institutions can use their political and financial power ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Native Food Garden in the Sonoran Desert

  • University of Arizona (AZ)

Since July 2017, I began volunteering at The Desert Research Learning Center (DLRC). The DRLC is owned by the National Park Service and is located adjacent to the east district ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Pollinator Protection: Save the Monarch Butterfly!

  • Central Community College (NE)

This poster will describe the process Central Community College uses to engage students in the support of pollinators, particularly the Monarch butterfly. Furthermore, basic information regarding Monarch butterfly behavior and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Food Recovery and Partnership Models

  • University of Notre Dame (IN)
  • University of Utah (UT)
  • Sodexo USA (MD)
  • 412 Food Rescue (PA)

The University of Utah is collaborating to address seven of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals on on-campus, in local communities, as well as throughout the state. While working ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Building a Bigger Table: Engaging Communities on Food Security

  • College of Charleston (SC)

On our campus, and in the surrounding community, there appears to be a growing urge for increased engagement and 'silo-busting.' One of the largest focal points for this is food ...

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Agrivoltaic Arrays: Cultivating the Future of Renewable Energy

  • University of Arizona (AZ)

Agrivoltaics' combines the terms, 'agriculture' and 'photovoltaics' to create a symbiotic relationship between food and renewable energy. The vast majority of solar energy generated comes from solar farms. However, as ...

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Scaling UP Renewable Energy Beyond Campus

  • Cornell University (NY)
  • State University of New York at Cortland (NY)

The Paris Agreement (at the moment) represents civilizations best path forward for global action and accountability of our collective reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions. What happens when a significant ...

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Where civil rights fit into sustainability: an environmental justice workshop

  • Ithaca College (NY)

An in-depth exploration of how civil rights and environmental justice fit into the global sustainability framework, this presentation will utilize case studies from across the US to exemplify how environmental ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Think Outside: Educating about Conservation and Race in the Great Outdoors

  • Messiah University (PA)
  • Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA)

We need multi-lateral participation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the UN; however, the narrative of environmental protection, and the subsequent sustainability movement, is dominated by a ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Engaging Students and Low-Income Community Members: Successes in Conservation and Social Equity

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)

The FLOWS program (Foundation for Leaders Organizing for Water and Sustainability), is made up of diverse CU Boulder Environmental Center student staff and historically marginalized community members that team up ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainability Best Practices to Contain the Uncontainable: Lessons Learned From UVA & August 11/12

  • University of Virginia (VA)

UVA's responses to the white supremacist rallies at UVA and Charlottesville during the summer of 2017 can serve as an example to other institutions as white supremacy and violence ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Anti-Oppressive Youth Facilitation

  • Power Shift Network (DC)

From organizing campaigns to coordinating community engagement events. From engaging in political advocacy efforts to training with youth. Wherever your youth engagement falls, there are best practices for working with ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Crowdcoaching: A Workshop About Workshops

  • Tufts University (MA)
  • GreenerU (MA)

Undertaking sustainable practices at colleges and universities requires the convergence of people, resources, and knowledge. Sharing experiences with colleagues at other campuses is an efficient conduit for successful implementation. Crowdcoaching ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Sustainability Competencies, SDGs & Metacognition: Implementation and Assessment

  • City University of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (NY)
  • Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Core learning sustainability competencies have been identified and are guiding course design: system thinking, future/temporal thinking, ethical literacy (values), interpersonal literacy (communication & collaboration), strategic thinking (action), and creativity ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Enhancing Student Learning and Promoting Sustainability Through Experiential Learning

  • New York University (NY)
  • University of Dayton (OH)
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)

This session includes experiential learning programs in three academic institutions.The programs illustrate how higher education institutions can foster public-private-community partnerships to achieve the SDGs and inform approaches to SDG ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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ESRAP: Building Partnerships Across the Globe to Elevate Sustainability Focused Curriculum & Research

  • Southern New Hampshire University (NH)

Educators for Socially Responsible Apparel Practices (ESRAP) is a non-profit that engages and collaborates across the globe to share news, best practices, review sustainability texts, and offer strong platform for ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Nation's First Community-Based Culinary Medicine Garden and Sustainability Curriculum

  • University of Utah (UT)

We have the nation's first Culinary Medicine (CM) course pairing community members and Health Sciences (HS) students together to research, design, and implement community-based CM curricula, the inclusion in ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Backcasting to the Future: SDGs and Graduate Research

  • Indiana University South Bend (IN)

Preparing sustainability graduate students for the future requires a balance of real-world work and project applications as well as research and publishing experiences and opportunities. It means guiding the challenging ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Integration of the SDG's as a Targeted Educational Alternative...A Story of Successful Collaboration

  • University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)

Join us as we share a Story of Success: UTRGV and Buell Central High School's Transformative integration of SDG's to engage and motivate our most vulnerable and marginalized ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Education as the Engine for the Global Goals

  • Portland Community College (OR)

In 2016, 750 experts from around the world came together in Ahmedabad, India, to drill down into each of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), or Global Goals, to identify how ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Social Environmental Case Study on Mining, Wild Rice and Water Protection in Minnesota

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

This session involves participants in a social environmental synthesis case study, using methods taught by the National Social Environmental Synthesis Center (sesync.org) in Maryland, where this case was developed ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Applied Learning: Interventions for Sustainability Impacts

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Portland State University (OR)
  • Princeton University (NJ)
  • University of Calgary (AB)

Applied learning (AL) for sustainability is an umbrella term and encompasses student engagement activities (e.g., internships, courses, research practicums) that deliver exceptional student experiences and a positive outcome for ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Key Competencies in Sustainability: Overview and Next Steps

  • Arizona State University (AZ)
  • Chatham University (PA)
  • Northern Arizona University (AZ)
  • Sustainability Curriculum Consortium (MD)

The Panel-discussion is part of a nationwide process to solicit feedback on an initiative with the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE). The goal of the initiative is ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Experience The SDGs Abroad: Reimagine Your Curriculum with The GREEN Program

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

The GREEN Program (TGP) is an experiential education and workforce development program for young leaders in sustainable development. Created for students, by students, TGP has introduced a new model for ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Pursuing the SDGs in Education Abroad: Tools, Techniques, and Assessment Strategies

  • U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
  • The Education Abroad Network (IL)

Well-designed education abroad programs expose students to the many ways other cultures prioritize and pursue the UN SDG's. Foreign approaches to sustainability, biodiversity, and social justice reveal to students ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Uniting Human Rights and Sustainability Across the University

  • University of Dayton (OH)

The United Nations Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are a powerful framework for alleviating human suffering and achieving social and environmental justice. However, making progress on the the ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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From Theory to Practice: Applied Community Projects in Environmental Capstone Courses

  • Earlham College (IN)

Over the past five years, Environmental Studies and Environmental Sustainability seniors at Earlham College have completed an 'integrated research project (IRP)' in collaboration with a community partner. The IRP is ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Service and Community Engaged Learning for Social and Environmental Justice

  • Champlain College (VT)
  • Southern Oregon University (OR)
  • University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College (HI)
  • Villanova University (PA)

Service-Learning / Community Engaged Learning is a common practice in higher education and is increasingly found being paired with sustainability. This networking session will allow practitioners to share best practices, learn ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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AIM2Flourish: Transforming Management Education Through Positive Business Innovation Stories

  • Case Western Reserve University (OH)

The UN Global Goals are the 'World's Must-Do List' to end poverty, combat climate change, protect life on land, and ensure a livable future for all people. Many business ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Teach Environmental Sustainability via Children's Literature

  • University of Wisconsin-River Falls (WI)

We propose to share methods of integration into curriculum and resources for teacher-educators to reach their students, starting with elementary students and continuing on up the grades, K-12. Because children ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Incorporating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Collaborative Sustainability Planning

  • Ohio University (OH)

Ohio University is proud to have an ambitious and community-created Sustainability Plan, and to reside in a community that values sustainability. Both the City of Athens and Athens County have ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Role of Private Sector Partnership in Sustainable Higher Education Operations & Education

  • American University in Cairo (Cairo)

Throughout the American University in Cairo's 100-year history, we have strived to be leaders in all we do. Recently, that mission has been applied to sustainability. AUC has implemented ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Leveraging the SDGs to Build a System-Wide Higher Education Sustainability Strategy

  • University at Albany (NY)
  • University at Buffalo (NY)
  • State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)

Sixty-Four schools, nearly half a million enrolled students, 33,000 faculty and 96,000 degrees granted annually--the higher education scope and impact of the State University of New York system ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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How to Overcome Challenges at Large, Urban Campuses

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)

This will provide a space for large urban campuses to discuss challenges and accomplishments of working on sustainability on Urban campuses. AASHE has lacked the spaces for these types of ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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The Design Thinking Process: User-Centered Solutions to Complex and Confounding Problems

  • University of Denver (CO)

Coming out of Stanford's Institute of Design, the Design Thinking (DT) framework has taken the Architecture, and now the business world, by storm. However, this solution- and user-focused design ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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How a Team of Student Ambassadors Can Amplify and Accelerate Wins for a Small Sustainability Staff

  • Case Western Reserve University (OH)

Facing the Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals of campus sustainability work with small offices can feel impossible; however, despite having a small staff, college and university sustainability offices can effect real ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Top Down and Bottom-Up: The Pitt Sustainability Planning Process

  • University of Pittsburgh (PA)
  • SmithGroup (MI)

In 2017 Pitt embarked on their first comprehensive sustainability plan which launched early this year. This session outlines the top-down approaches to connect with leadership and link this planning effort ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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International Networking Meeting

  • Portland Community College (OR)
  • AASHE (PA)

Members of the international community who are attending the AASHE conference and those who are interested in international issues are invited to join in a networking meeting to share resources ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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How to Design an Annual Report People Actually Read

  • Pomona College (CA)
  • University of California, Berkeley (CA)
  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

Have you struggled with keeping up with annual reporting for your sustainability program? Are you somebody who's on top of their annual reporting but feel like nobody reads your ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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ISSP Networking Session: Do You Have All It Takes to Be an Effective Sustainability Professional?

  • Auburn University (AL)
  • Colorado State University (CO)
  • Michigan State University (MI)
  • University of Richmond (VA)
  • International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) (OR)

Calling all active and aspiring sustainability professionals: come learn about the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) community and earning ISSP's sustainability credentials. Meet with ISSP members and hear ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Latin Flavor in AASHE: Contributions to Sustainability Offices

  • University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
  • Universidad EAN
  • Dallas College (TX)

In many institutions of higher education and universities around the world, there are offices that manage the issue of sustainability for years. AASHE is a multicultural space where many of ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Organizing a Campus-Community Resilience Building Workshop

  • Second Nature (MA)
  • The Nature Conservancy (VA)

This workshop will train participants in how to organize and facilitate a Community Resilience Building (CRB) Workshop. The CRB Workshop is a community-driven process, rich with information, experience, and dialogue ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) Networking Session

  • Rice University (TX)
  • Texas A&M University (TX)

This is a networking meeting for Texans and other parties interested in the Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability (TRACS) to connect and discuss campus sustainability topics unique to the ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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WCUPA Student Brandywine Project

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)

The Student Brandywine Project was a student led half-day workshop to engage West Chester University students in helping design, implement, evaluate, and improve the various environmental, social, and economic sustainability ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Four Steps for Leading Impactful Environmental Change On-Campus

  • University of Texas at Austin (TX)

How can students effectively foster an environmentally conscious and sustainable community within their university? You can have the best and brightest ideas, but if their implementation is not strategic, they ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Advocacy for the Global Goals

  • United Nations Foundation (NY)

Be an advocate for the UN and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in your community! Learn advocacy strategies from the United Nations Association-USA (UNA-USA) to creatively engage with community partners ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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United Nations Association Campus Network

  • United Nations Foundation (NY)

Advance the UN's Sustainable Development Goals on your campus through the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) campus network. Learn about how to bring innovative SDG programming ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Building and Supporting Social Movements for Institutional Change and Beyond

  • Real Food Challenge (MA)

Even as the campus sustainability movement has grown, the issues in our food system have continued to deepen. The average age of farmers in the U.S. is over 65 ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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Becoming a 'spokes' person for campus sustainability: The smoothie bike & other outreach efforts.

  • Ohio University (OH)

Ohio University, like many universities nationally, has been affected by budget and staffing streamlining. Campus services and departments, like the Office of Sustainability, were profoundly affected. However, presidential strategies and ...

  • Posted Nov. 5, 2018
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.

All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.

EN 10: Community Partnerships

EN 11: Inter-campus Collaboration

EN 12: Continuing Education

EN 13: Community Service

EN 14: Participation in Public Policy

EN 15: Trademark Licensing

Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.

Public Engagement Partners