DSU Receives the 2011 Climate Leadership Award for Go Green Initiatives

Presented to DSU President Harry L. Williams at the 5^th annual Climate Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., the award – which was in the Master’s Colleges and University category – recognizes DSU for the work it has done since it committed to be part of the ACUPCC in 2009.

 

The University’s Go Green Sustainability Committee – led by Vita Pickrum, associate vice president of Development, and a steering committee of University vice presidents and deans – has mushroomed into seven subcommittees that include more than 80 active members from the University’s business and administration personnel, as well as students, faculty and staff from all walks of DSU academic life.

 

In addition to accessing a diverse group of intellectual resources from among its employees, DSU’s Go Green initiative has also engaged students in the effort through the creation of a Green Ambassador organization. This student organization continues to be an active participant in the Go Green planning, related events coordination and spearheading the education effort among their student peers on campus.

 

As a result of the work of these students, the Green Ambassadors’ president Terrell Davis received the 2010 AASHE Student Sustainability Leadership Award. In addition, two other DSU students were selected to be EPA OnCampus Ambassadors to assist in promoting environmentally conscientious initiatives on campus.

 

On April 20, Delaware State University held a daylong celebration in recognition of Earth Day and the turnout of faculty, staff, students and the community exemplified the University’s enthusiasm and efforts toward climate neutrality and sustainability that extends far beyond one celebrated day of the year. As part of the festivities, DSU art students developed a mini-exhibition entitled “Found Objects,” which used objects that had been left to go to the local landfill and were creatively converted into art sculptures.

 

As a historically black university, the environmental marshalling of its DSU members has led the way among other HBCUs and resulted in Ms. Pickrum being invited to the Dec. 3 United Nations 16^th Conference of Parties in Cancun, Mexico, where she gave a presentation on DSU’s Go Green Initiative. In addition, DSU’s environmental efforts were recognized nationally during the 2010-2011 academic year in publications of the ACUPCC, United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine and Black College Today.

 

During the second day of the June 21-22 ACUPCC Climate Leadership Summit, Amir Mohammadi, DSU vice president of Business & Administration, was a panel participate in a work session in which he shared how DSU has financed its sustainability projects.