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.
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Mechoopda BCEP Land Transfer
- California State University, Chico (CA)
President Gayle Hutchinson watches Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria chairman Dennis Ramirez and Provost Debra Larson (VPAA) sign an agreement beside Rebecca Fris (left to right) as Chico State …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2026
- Photographs
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Mechoopda BCEP Land Transfer
- California State University, Chico (CA)
Kyle McHenry, walks with his children T’at’am Jo McHenry, 1, and Sean McHenry, 7, (left to right) explore the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (BCEP) before Chico State Enterprises (CSE), an …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2026
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Mechoopda BCEP Land Transfer
- California State University, Chico (CA)
Sean McHenry, 7, and Christina McHenry (left to right) explore the Butte Creek Ecological Preserve (BCEP) before Chico State Enterprises (CSE), an auxiliary of California State University, Chico, and the …
- Posted Aug. 13, 2026
- Photographs
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Ngā Mokopuna - a living building based on indigenous wisdom
- Victoria University of Wellington
In late 2024, Victoria University of Wellington opened Ngā Mokopuna as the University's newest green building and hub for Māori knowledge. Aspiring to gain Living Building Challenge certification, it exemplifies …
- Posted Aug. 12, 2026
- Photographs
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Clean up on campus
- Victoria University of Wellington
Staff and students at a clean up on campus at Victoria University of Wellington's Te Aro campus
- Posted Aug. 5, 2026
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Energy and Sustainability Summit Explores Solutions for a Greener Tomorrow
- California State University, Fullerton (CA)
Building a more sustainable environment and addressing critical climate issues will take cooperation and community involvement, experts said at Cal State Fullerton’s fourth annual Energy and Sustainability Summit.
Sponsored by …
- Posted Aug. 4, 2026
- Photographs
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UAE Clean Up Campaign with Emirates Environmental Group (EEG)
- University of Sharjah
University student volunteers participating in the annual Clean Up UAE campaign organized in collaboration with the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG). Standing alongside collected bags of waste in a desert landscape, …
- Posted Aug. 3, 2026
- Photographs
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Student-Led School Renovation & Community Outreach
- University of Sharjah
A dedicated team of student volunteers actively participating in a national community service campaign to renovate and repaint local school classrooms. The initiative highlights youth leadership, hands-on social responsibility, and …
- Posted Aug. 3, 2026
- Photographs
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External Community Engagement & Accessibility Initiatives
- University of Sharjah
The event showcases institutional outreach, social responsibility, and strategic leadership aimed at empowering People of Determination through inclusive vision initiatives and accessible education.
- Posted Aug. 3, 2026
- Photographs
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The Art of Ability: Inclusive Panel Discussion
- University of Sharjah
A panel discussion titled "The Art of Ability: Inclusion Through Expression" hosted on a main stage. Diverse panelists, including individuals advocating for accessibility and inclusion, share their perspectives to promote …
- Posted Aug. 3, 2026
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California Green Building Conference, hosted annually by USGBC California
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Photo Credit: Sam Bunke
- Posted Aug. 3, 2026
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Land care skill share event hosted by UC Berkeley
- University of California, Berkeley (CA)
Photo credit: Bine Buencamino Phung
- Posted Aug. 3, 2026
- Photographs
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McGill Biodiversity Festival 2025
- McGill University (QC)
Organized annually by the McGill Office of Sustainability (MOOS), the Biodiversity Festival features guided nature walks, species identification workshops, and booths where participants can connect with McGill groups and local …
- Posted July 30, 2026
- Photographs
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Plastic Micro-Recycling and Local Foods Fair
- University of Northern British Columbia (BC)
The University of Northern British Columbia, in partnership with the Northern BC Maker Collective, a community non-profit in Prince George, BC, launches the Plastics Makerspace which is a local publicly …
- Posted July 29, 2026
- Photographs
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International Community Beach Cleanup
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
International students, faculty, staff, and community volunteers participate in a beach cleanup organized through Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Green Campus program. Bringing together people from diverse cultural backgrounds, the …
- Posted July 28, 2026
- Photographs
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Learning from Marine Litter
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Beach cleanup activities at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev extend beyond environmental volunteering to include experiential environmental education. By examining the types, sources, and impacts of marine litter, participants develop …
- Posted July 28, 2026
- Photographs
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International Community Beach Cleanup
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
International students, faculty, staff, and community volunteers participate in a beach cleanup organized through Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Green Campus program. Bringing together people from diverse cultural backgrounds, the …
- Posted July 28, 2026
- Photographs
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Beach Cleanup in Action
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Beach cleanup initiatives are part of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Green Campus program and broader sustainability efforts. Bringing together students, faculty, staff, and community volunteers, these activities promote environmental …
- Posted July 28, 2026
- Photographs
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Green Move-Out
- George Washington University (DC)
Submissions from George Washington University for the 2026 Sustainable Campus Index. These photos depict our annual Green Move-Out initiative, where upwards of 50,000 pounds of home goods and dorm essentials …
- Posted July 24, 2026
- Photographs
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Community Garden Planting Day
- George Washington University (DC)
Submissions from George Washington University for the 2026 Sustainable Campus Index. These photos depict a community planting day at the Mount Vernon Community Garden.
- Posted July 24, 2026
- Photographs
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Sustainability at Sac State
- California State University, Sacramento (CA)
Sustainability at Sac State
- Posted July 23, 2026
- Photographs
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Dickinson College Sustainability Expo
- Dickinson College (PA)
Green Devil at Dickinson College helps students, faculty, staff and community celebrate sustainability projects at our annual Sustainability Expo.
- Posted July 23, 2026
- Photographs
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Dickinson College Bike Share
- Dickinson College (PA)
Dickinson's bike-share programs lend bikes to students, faculty and staff in an effort to increase biking on and around campus. Red Bikes can be borrowed from the Department of Public …
- Posted July 23, 2026
- Photographs
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UVic Greenway
- University of Victoria (BC)
Students walk down the University of Victoria greenway, surrounded by trees.
- Posted July 17, 2026
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Advancing Living Lab Through Impactful Partnerships
- AASHE (MA)
- Stanford University (CA)
This session will offer an interactive and comprehensive exploration of the key drivers, successes, and hurdles of transforming a campus into a living lab for sustainability. Stanford University’s recent expansion …
- Posted July 17, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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Furman student Aubin Vertueux Dzossa Bontse '27 shares his work as the Shi Institute's climate resilience fellow
- Furman University (SC)
Aubin Vertueux Dzossa Bontse '27 shares his work as the Shi Institute's climate resilience fellow at Furman Engaged, April 11, 2025.
- Posted July 16, 2026
- Photographs
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University of Galway
- Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
As one of Ireland's National SDG Ambassadors, the University of Galway is embedding the Sustainable Development Goals across education, research, operations and partnerships to create lasting impact.
- Posted July 14, 2026
- Photographs
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Shuffle for Climate Justice
- Concordia University (QC)
Members of Concordia University's Shuffle for Climate Justice team gather before participating in the annual Concordia Shuffle and Montreal's climate march. Organized by Concordia's Office of Sustainability, the team raises …
- Posted June 22, 2026
- Photographs
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Concordia community mobilizes for climate action
- Concordia University (QC)
Students, faculty, staff and community members participate in a climate march in downtown Montreal, demonstrating Concordia University's commitment to climate action, civic engagement and environmental advocacy. By supporting participation in …
- Posted June 22, 2026
- Photographs
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Public Market
- Université de Sherbrooke (QC)
The Université de Sherbrooke’s Public Market, held each fall, brings together about a dozen local producers who showcase and sell their products to members of the university community.
- Posted June 17, 2026
- Photographs
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University Nature Reserve
- Université de Sherbrooke (QC)
The Université de Sherbrooke’s Main Campus borders Mont-Bellevue Park, where 125 hectares of university land have been officially designated as a University Nature Reserve—an exceptional natural area enjoyed by both …
- Posted June 17, 2026
- Photographs
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JCCC Cider and Sunset Event
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
JCCC's annual Cider and Sunset is a free event where students, faculty, staff, and community members can visit our 4-acre campus farm, purchase produce, take tours, and enjoy apple cider, …
- Posted June 17, 2026
- Photographs
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Award Webinar: JCCC’s Sustainability Distinction Program: A Customizable Model for Sustainability Education
- AASHE (MA)
- Johnson County Community College (KS)
"Johnson County Community College“ is the recipient of a 2026 AASHE Campus Sustainability Achievement Award. This webinar is part of the 2026 Awards showcase highlighting all four winners in this …
- Posted May 21, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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TREE GROWING : MANGROVE PLANTING and COASTAL CLEAN UP
- De La Salle Lipa
The “One Million Trees and Beyond” (OMTB) Tree Growing and Coastal Clean-Up initiative, conducted at the Batangas City Mangrove Conservation Eco Park in Malitam during SY 2025–2026, engaged volunteers in …
- Posted May 12, 2026
- Photographs
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Award Webinar: Climate Change Collaboration: From Relationships to Regional Impact
- AASHE (MA)
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
Washington University in St. Louis“ is the recipient of a 2026 AASHE Campus Sustainability Achievement Award. This webinar is part of the 2026 Awards Showcase highlighting all four winners in …
- Posted May 11, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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CCNY and NYRP Tree Giveaway Partnership on Earth Day
- The City College of New York (NY)
This Earth Day, CCNY joined forces with Congressmember Adriano Espaillat and the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) to bring more green to our campus and the Harlem community. In a …
- Posted May 5, 2026
- Photographs
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Website Engagement Strategies for Sustainability Storytelling
- AASHE (MA)
- Stanford University (CA)
Stories typically arrive in an inbox or in a social media post that lead to a website. So why not make the end destination the best and brightest of all …
- Posted April 30, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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Earth Month 2026 Photos
- University of Virginia (VA)
The University of Virginia hosted or promoted over 50 events on and around Charlottesville this year! Our signature event was a collaboration between the Office for Sustainability, UVA Dine, and …
- Posted April 30, 2026
- Photographs
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Earth Day Celebration at Sacramento City College
- Sacramento City College (CA)
Despite lots of rain, the Sacramento City College Sustainability Committee hosted a wonderful Earth Day event on Tuesday, April 21st. Although the event was moved from the college's main quad …
- Posted April 30, 2026
- Photographs
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NJIT Earth Day Fair 2026
- New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJ)
Here is a Google Drive link to our photos from Earth Day Fair 2026 at NJIT: [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1O9Kg1LbMzCTuI2mOH99rzJkOKunuLQpt?usp=sharing]
- Posted April 27, 2026
- Photographs
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Spring Clean
- Georgetown University (DC)
Georgetown University’s Office of Sustainability and other campus partners came together to get a head start on move-out! GU community members were asked to donate gently used clothes, furniture, books, …
- Posted April 27, 2026
- Photographs
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AI Policy & Sustainability in Higher Education
- AASHE (MA)
Sustainability offices across higher education are increasingly being asked to weigh in on AI: by provosts prioritizing AI literacy, by students concerned about environmental impact, and by colleagues seeking values-driven …
- Posted April 15, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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AASHE Strategic Plan (2024)
- AASHE (MA)
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed their time, expertise, and dedication to the development of this strategic plan. Your insights and efforts have been invaluable in shaping …
- Posted April 14, 2026
- Publications
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A Place-Based Model for Sustainability Across the Curriculum: Experiences from Hawaiʻi
- AASHE (MA)
- University of Hawaii at Manoa (HI)
The integration of cultural & place-based curricula into a model for learning sustainability across the curriculum is innovative, effective and meaningful. This session presents examples of a culturally and spatially …
- Posted March 25, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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UVA Sustainable Food Collaborative Impact Report
- University of Virginia (VA)
This impact report documents five goals spanning January 2024 through June 2025.
- Posted March 3, 2026
- Publications
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Microplastic Pollution on Campus
- AASHE (MA)
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
- CLEANR (OH)
Microplastic pollution is an urgent environmental challenge with far-reaching impacts on ecosystems and human health. This webinar will provide an in-depth look at the science behind microplastics, their sources, and …
- Posted Feb. 13, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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What Do Youth Want? Results and Applications from the Sacred Heart University National Poll
- AASHE (MA)
- Sacred Heart University (CT)
Young people are not only the primary constituents of colleges and universities—they are also the generation that will inherit the pressing sustainability and social justice challenges of our time. But …
- Posted Feb. 12, 2026
- Videos & Webinars
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Expanding Environmental Justice Knowledge at Johns Hopkins University
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
For almost two years, I have been working with departments at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Baltimore community members, and external professors to uplift environmental justice efforts and concerns in South …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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The Midwest Climate Collaborative: Cross-Sector Collaboration Throughout Twelve States
- Carleton College (MN)
- Case Western Reserve University (OH)
- City of Bloomington
- City of Columbus
- City of St. Louis
- Climate Central (NJ)
- Delta Institute (IL)
- Greater Cleveland Partnership
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
- Indiana University Indianapolis (IN)
- KERAMIDA Inc. (IN)
- Lincoln University of Missouri (MO)
- Michigan State University (MI)
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Missouri University of Science and Technology (MO)
- National Audubon Society (NY)
- Northland College (WI)
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Oberlin College (OH)
- Principia College (IL)
- Second Nature (MA)
- Southern Illinois University System
- The Morton Arboretum (IL)
- The Ohio State University (OH)
- University of Chicago (IL)
- University of Illinois Chicago (IL)
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (IL)
- University of Michigan (MI)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
- Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability
- Washington University in St. Louis (MO)
The Midwest Climate Collaborative (MCC) provides the collaboration infrastructure for organizations to partner across sectors for a carbon neutral, climate resilient, interconnected Midwest region. Initially catalyzed by leading Midwest higher …
- Posted Feb. 2, 2026
- Case Studies
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Building a lab sustainability initiative from the ground up
- University of Rochester (NY)
The Sustainable Labs Initiative (SLI) is grassroots, trainee-led organization at the University of Rochester (UR) that promotes a culture of sustainability within research and clinical laboratories. Our group brings together …
- Posted Jan. 27, 2026
- Case Studies
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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
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (first partnership)
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (second partnership)
- Description of a formal community partnership to advance sustainability (third partnership)
- Website URL - Community partnerships to advance sustainability
EN 11: Inter-campus Collaboration
- The national or international sustainability network(s)
- The regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s)
- Description of sustainability conference(s) and presentation(s)
- Description of sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s)
- Description of sustainability board or committee appointment(s)
- Description of sustainability-related mentoring relationship and activities
- Description of sustainability-related peer review activities
- Website URL - Sustainability-related inter-campus collaborations
EN 12: Continuing Education
- Percentage of continuing education courses that are sustainability course offerings
- Inventory of continuing education sustainability course offerings (upload)
- Inventory of continuing education sustainability course offerings (description)
- Description of sustainability-related continuing education certificate program(s)
- Website URL - Continuing education courses and programs in sustainability
EN 13: Community Service
- Percentage of students engaged in community service
- Number of annual community service hours contributed per student
- Description of program(s) to support employee volunteering
- Website URL- Community service programs
EN 14: Participation in Public Policy
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the municipal/local level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the state/provincial/regional level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the national level
- Description of sustainability public policy advocacy at the international level
- Website URL - Sustainability advocacy efforts
EN 15: Trademark Licensing
- Description of the independent trademark monitoring and verification organization
- The labor rights code of conduct for licensees (upload)
- The labor rights code of conduct for licensees (description)
- Website URL - Trademark licensing initiatives
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.