College of Charleston
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

In 2017, the College of Charleston confirmed its institutional mandate and mission to expand and invest in sustainability literacy education. Developed to support the university's reaccreditation, our current and active Quality Enhancement Plan is titled "Sustainability Literacy as a Bridge to Addressing 21st-Century Problems" and shepherded by the Center for Sustainable Development.

Our QEP aims to add to the storied history of the College and prepare students to graduate and serve as passionate advocates and stewards of a planet and future that will be increasingly shaped by social, economic and environmental challenges. Collectively, College leadership and the Center for Sustainable Development are working toward this mission through sustainability literacy.

We provide dynamic and thoughtful student learning opportunities that emphasize critical thinking, interdisciplinary study, creative problem solving, analytical reasoning and a common understanding of sustainability. We teach the Triple Bottom Line and develop within students the necessary tools and resources to then advocate for modern-day solutions to address issues like climate change, food insecurity, poverty and institutional racism.

Developing empowered citizens who can think critically and innovate to solve challenges is central to the mission, purpose and strategic planning of the College. This is seen most clearly in the third goal of the College's Strategic Plan, which is to "provide students the global and interdisciplinary perspectives necessary to address the social, economic, environmental, ethical, scientific and political issues of the 21st-century."

In order to achieve this institutional mission, five key goals and seven student learning outcomes structure the QEP and are advanced through curricular and co-curricular activities and new institutional opportunities for student, faculty and staff engagement. The five key goals of the QEP are to: teach the Triple Bottom Line, cultivate sustainability literacy, develop a culture of conscious consumerism, support applied learning and problem solving, and empower student advocates.

The Center for Sustainable Development organizes and leads a robust and dynamic student internship program that provides students with opportunities to gain a holistic education in sustainability literacy through experiential learning, research, public engagement, operational management and targeted professional development. Each semester, students lead projects focused on a broad range of sustainability issues, including energy, climate action, waste management, diversity and inclusion, community outreach and engagement, sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship and transportation.

The Center hosts about 10 students annually, and staff members serve as mentors and educators. Interns typically complete between 10-15 hours of work each week toward their unique mission and report out successes and developments at weekly meetings. Students work with peers across disciplines, backgrounds and perspectives to individually and collectively spearhead projects and campaigns that support the university's sustainability goals, research and policies. Students also have the chance to earn academic credit or compensation for their work with the Center.

The Cougar Free Store is a place where members of the CofC community can donate and take items with no cost attached. The Free Store began with the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) recognizing that students would often discard still-usable goods throughout the year, especially during move-out. This grew into the current initiative - to create a space that encourages reuse, diverts waste, and serves as another on-campus resource for students and staff. The Free Store has received approximately 2400 pounds of donations during the 2021-2022 academic year. The presence of the Free Store on campus means that we can divert these goods away from the landfill and towards a second home!