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

New Documentary Film 'The Power of One Voice- A 50 Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel Carson' (52 min) + Q/A

  • Blue Lens, LLC (PA)

Rachel Carson remains a heroic role model for living in harmony with nature. This new documentary film offers perspectives on the impact of her message and her life from her ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Balanced Rock Sculptures

  • Canukshuk Artworks (MN)

On site designed balanced stone/rock sculpture - constructed on site to fit the space uniquely for design and creative perspective. Material would be inclusive of native Minnesotan components - rocks/stones ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Closing Keynote - Shalini Gupta

  • Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy (MN)

Shalini Gupta has worked at numerous local, regional and national organizations on state/regional regulatory and legislative policy analysis and advocacy related to renewable energy and climate change issues. Her ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Public/Private Partnerships Utilizing Service and Experiential Learning to Facilitate Student Engagement

  • Clark Atlanta University (GA)

There are a number of local municipalities in the Metropolitan Atlanta area that are in need of developmental plans to transition their communities into sustainable, self-sufficient enterprises. The most obvious ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Oskēh-Mamāceqtāwak Kēketōwak: Youth Speak

  • College of Menominee Nation (WI)

High school students who are participating in College of Menominee Nation's Sustainability Leadership Cohort Program (SLC) will present two videos. The first video, Nama'o The Ancient Story Teller ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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George Washington Carver, A Role Model for Sustainability

  • Colorado Mountain College (CO)

Through a brief presentation and a clip from a recent documentary, learn about George Washington Carver, arguably one of the premier forefathers of the sustainability movement in the United States ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Cross-Cultural Collaboration and Life Long Learning inspired by a Sustainable Building Course in Costa Rica

  • Colorado State University (CO)

This case study introduces a study-abroad program in Costa Rica, which focuses on Sustainable Building Practices. During the past two years, Colorado State University (CSU) and EARTH University formed a ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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HBCU Meet up

  • Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FL)

The HBCU meet up is a networking session for sustainability professionals working at historically black colleges and universities as well as others interested in collaborating with HBCUs to advance sustainability ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The GW Eco-Equity Challenge: student innovators and community partners address environmental and climate justice

  • George Washington University (DC)

Universities as anchor institutions have an important role to play in their communities. Students often bring their innovative ideas to solve social problems to university leaders for support. This case ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Lessons from Germany to the US 1: Change

  • Grinnell College (IA)

To think about how we can institute sustainability efforts at Grinnell College, we visited Germany to ask how institutions there have achieved such great success, hoping to bring successful ideas ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Putting Classroom Skills into Practice: From Curriculum to Community Sustainability Planning

  • Indiana University South Bend (IN)

This session will share a case study about how faculty can engage in sustainability in the community, and in the process provide pathways for positive change, increased awareness of sustainability ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting the Most Out of Your Practicum

  • Indiana University South Bend (IN)

In this session we will explore how we have used integrated design and a holistic approach to leverage our capstone sustainability practicum to not only offer our students practical experience ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Connecting Students and Community to Sustainability with Short Videos

  • Indiana University South Bend (IN)

In this session we will explore how to incorporate students and alumni in the teaching and learning process in sustainability studies through the use of short videos. We will discuss ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Farm to Campus Table: Highlighting Local Foods and Student Work in a Campus Harvest Lunch

  • Johnson County Community College (KS)

Beginning in 2013 and continuing in 2014, several dozen students, faculty, staff, and volunteers worked together to source a campus farm lunch at Johnson County Community College, a large, suburban ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Regional Sustainability as Social Innovation

  • Luther College (IA)

This case study will present research on the connections between sustainability and the growing fields of social innovation and collective impact. How do organizations and communities best address complex social ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Spreading the Word: Effective Communication on Campus

  • Luther College (IA)

Effective communication is essential in promoting and running any sustainability initiative. Every day, institutions are coming up with projects that further our energy efficiency, connect us to local food systems ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Life After College: Speed Networking with Peers and Graduates

  • Macalester College (MN)

This networking event will allow students to build relationships with peers and small groups of recent graduates. Participants will first ask predetermined conversation starters regarding their own work or interests ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Macalester College Tour

  • Macalester College (MN)

Macalester College has been a leader in sustainability since the 1960s when students started a recycling program and Facilities Services started working on energy conservation. The school also hosts the ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Look Here exhibition - at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design

  • Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)

This exhibition spotlights seven Minnesota artists and designers working to change people's perception and understanding of our impact on the natural world. A focal point of this show is ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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NYU Microgrid: Resiliency During Super Storm Sandy

  • New York University (NY)

A case study of the design, construction, operation and benefits of the NYU cogeneration plant and the NYU microgrid which supplies electricity to 26 buildings and heating and cooling to ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transforming Sustainability Education: Curricular and Co-Curricular Tools for Engaging the Social Dimensions of Change

  • EcoChallenge.org (OR)

This interactive, participatory round table workshop will provide context around why transformative learning and deeper engagement in sustainability issues is important, drawing from the work of the Northwest Earth Institute ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Transforming Despair

  • Oberlin College (OH)

Understanding the implications of climate change can leave people at a loss, pushing them into a state of despair. Lertzman (2012) argues that emotions associated with negativity and despair can ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Washington State Higher Education Sustainability Coalition Meeting (2015)

  • Pacific Lutheran University (WA)

Individuals from Washington state higher education institutions attended this business lunch held by the Washington State Higher Education Sustainability Coalition (WAHESC). During this session, WAHESC advisory committee members discussed the ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Feeding Two Birds with One Scone: Building Sustainable Communities and Student Leaders through Place-based Projects

  • Pennsylvania State University (PA)

Colleges and universities have a unique opportunity to assist local communities to address climate mitigation and adaption by translating research into practice. Colleges and universities also have a moral obligation ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Rice University's Farmer's Market: a case study of a Farmer's Market at a private University

  • Rice University (TX)

The Rice Farmer's Market was established in 2010 with the primary goal of making locally grown food available to as many consumers as possible, providing a growing marketplace for ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium

  • Smith College (MA)

This is a networking meeting for participants in the Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium (NECSC). All are welcome.

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability and Theater at St. Olaf College

  • St. Olaf College (MN)

Five senior Environmental Studies students asked: what is the environmental impact of theater at St. Olaf College? Inspired by experiences in theater and by an alumna's work on energy ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Art and Sustainability: Creative Problem Solving, Visual Communication, Active Learning and Sustainability Awareness

  • State University of New York at Geneseo (NY)

I am a practicing artist and a former tenured faculty member that recently switched paths to the administrative side of the college, to more directly address sustainability on our campus ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Hive Project: Three Short Plays with Music

  • The Hive Project (MN)

The Hive Project is a triptych of short plays with music exploring the relationship between humans and bees. Inspired by the techniques Bertolt Brecht developed in the Lehrstuck (or 'learning ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Storytelling: The Buzzword That Can Actually Get You A Job

  • U.S. Green Building Council (DC)

Your last year of school looms ahead, perhaps even that dreaded G word in May. All those times your advisors tried to convince you to follow their career path, or ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Service Learning a tool for teaching sustainability and local development

  • Universidad de Monterrey

For Universidad de Monterrey, Service - Learning is a pedagogy that fosters the improvement of academic quality and civic education, promoting an active participation and solidarity contributions for the local development ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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New York Coalition for Sustainability in Higher Education (NYCSHE)

  • University at Albany (NY)

Networking meet up for those involved with sustainability in New York State higher education institutions.

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The UC Global Food Initiative; Leveraging University Research and Best Practices to Achieve Ambitious Global Goals

  • University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)

In July 2014, UC President Janet Napolitano challenged the University of California system to leverage the innovative research and best practices that we have developed through our operations and curriculum ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Green Sports Alliance networking lunch

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)

One of the most visible and global platforms for sustainability leadership is sports. In the past five years, hundreds of collegiate and professional sports teams, conferences, and leagues have rapidly ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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UKnTrees: Growing urban forestry awareness, outreach, and education

  • University of Kentucky (KY)

Many aspects of sustainability in urban environments, from environmental (stormwater management, climate regulation, urban heat island effects, air pollution removal) to economic (neighborhood and retail desirability, property values) to social ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Real Food Campus Commitment; Student and Community Partnership at the University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

The Real Food Campus Commitment is a pledge for colleges and universities stating that they will buy at least 20% Real Food by 2020. Signing onto the commitment can be ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Self-Sustain Conferences - connecting sustainability students within the multi-campus, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities system.

  • University of Minnesota, Crookston (MN)

In 2008, a multi-disciplinary, system-wide sustainability committee was organized at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities to improve sustainability related communication and collaborations between campuses at Minneapolis, St. Paul, Morris ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Art & Design Students Collaborate with University and Community to Mitigate Birdstrikes on Campus Buildings

  • University of Minnesota, Duluth (MN)

Summary: We present an innovative, grant-funded partnership between the university department of Art & Design, department of Writing Studies, Office of Sustainability, UMD Facilities Management, local wildlife rehabilitators, and local ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Bike Tour

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Participants - limited to 20 - will take the Green Line light rail from DT Mpls. to the University's East Bank station. Once on campus, participants will be provided with bikes ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Ark of the Anthropocene a model for preservation and survival in a changing climate

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Sean Connaughty has been making biosphere floats, they are self sustaining ecosystems that float in water. they range from seven feet in diameter to a few inches. The largest of ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Mitakuye oyasin (All My Relations): Manifesting Sustainability through Cultural Understanding

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Culture provides the structure for how we interact with our natural environment. For centuries, proclaiming a religious right to manifest destiny has justified actions that have enabled cultural values which ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Collective Action and Sustainability

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Sustainability problems including climate change, hyper-consumption, water stress, deforestation, etc. are all wicked problems. A few underlying elements are pervasive in these sustainability issues. Each problem is at a scale ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Farms and Gardens Meet-up

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Come meet Students, Staff and Faculty Members who work with Student Farms and Gardens at their Universities. We will exchange ideas about what's working, what's not and brain ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Custom Brewery Tour with Taste Twin Cities

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Join us for a fascinating behind the scenes insight into Minneapolis's local beers and what local breweries looks, sound and smells like. This tour is great for people visiting ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus Sustainability Tour

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus Sustainability Tour will take participants on a sustainability focused tour through all three distinct campuses in the Twin Cities. Stops on the Sustainability ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Urban Farming and Sustainable Agriculture Tour

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

Participants will board a mini coach and names will be checked off tour registrant list before departing MCC. Enjoy an afternoon of eating, learning, and touring the fields at six ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Diversity & Inclusion in Campus Sustainability - A Networking Meeting to Explore Intersections

  • University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (MN)

For sustainability projects to engage people across diverse identities, it is crucial for people who work on sustainability to commit to developing an atmosphere that is welcoming, respectful and in ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Storytelling: Using the Power of Innovation Stories to Inspire Action

  • University of Mississippi (MS)

Our storytelling workshop is designed to teach the fundamentals of story and multi-media as tools for powering progress. Students will learn the basic elements of a compelling story and get ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Integrating sustainability and social innovation at an urban, Catholic university (University of St. Thomas Campus Tour)

  • University of St. Thomas (MN)

Join us for a tour highlighting grassroots, collaborative efforts at the University of St. Thomas to design and implement sustainable infrastructure and curricular innovations that also serve as experimental platforms ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Environmental Literacy and it's Implications for Effective Public Policy Formation

  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

Environmental literacy is a measure of a person's knowledge about the interactions of humans and their environments, environmental issues, and the various connections in ecological systems. Recent studies have ...

  • Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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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