| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.65 |
| Liaison | Michelle Seppala Gibbs |
| Submission Date | March 6, 2020 |
Hope College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Michelle
Gibbs Director Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Student groups
Yes
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
The Hope Advocates for Sustainability is a sub-committee made up of paid interns of Hope College's Sustainability Green Team and works hand-in-hand with the Green Hope Student Club. Hope Advocates for Sustainability is comprised of 12 student interns who focus on educating students about sustainability and what they can do to lessen their environmental impact. When the students are hired they are assigned a specific focus area: Residential Halls, Cottages/Apartments, Conservation, Waste, Events, Marketing/Communications, and two student presidents.
Both Hope Advocates for Sustainability and Green Hope organize multiple events throughout the year with the objective of engaging students in sustainability efforts - such as observing and planning events during National Recycling Day and Earth Week in October, RecycleMania, Earth Day, Arbor Day, campus films, hosting informational tables/displays/presentations, etc...
Both Hope Advocates for Sustainability and Green Hope organize multiple events throughout the year with the objective of engaging students in sustainability efforts - such as observing and planning events during National Recycling Day and Earth Week in October, RecycleMania, Earth Day, Arbor Day, campus films, hosting informational tables/displays/presentations, etc...
Gardens and farms
Yes
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
Dining Services maintains two small herb and tomato gardens on-campus. Students may contact the Dining Services office for information regarding growing their own produce. We have also offered students the opportunity to learn about container gardening (although participation was low due to a lower number of students around during the summer).
During the summer of 2016 the Hope Green Team hired four students to conduct research on campus about sustainability. There was a student for each of the topics which include: energy, water, a campus garden, and the history of sustainability at Hope. The campus garden was larger campus garden model was not as successful as we had hoped, so it is no longer operational. However, students still have the opportunity to participate in the herb garden, container gardens, or we encourage students who really have an interest in larger gardening experiences to work with our partners in town:
Eighth Day Farms CSA http://www.eighthdayfarm.org/ We've had a number of students participate in their internship program http://www.eighthdayfarm.org/internship-program/ or
Benjamin's Hope https://www.benjaminshope.net/
During the summer of 2016 the Hope Green Team hired four students to conduct research on campus about sustainability. There was a student for each of the topics which include: energy, water, a campus garden, and the history of sustainability at Hope. The campus garden was larger campus garden model was not as successful as we had hoped, so it is no longer operational. However, students still have the opportunity to participate in the herb garden, container gardens, or we encourage students who really have an interest in larger gardening experiences to work with our partners in town:
Eighth Day Farms CSA http://www.eighthdayfarm.org/ We've had a number of students participate in their internship program http://www.eighthdayfarm.org/internship-program/ or
Benjamin's Hope https://www.benjaminshope.net/
Student-run enterprises
No
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
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Sustainable investment and finance
No
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
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Events
Yes
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
Hope presents various speakers discussing sustainability topics throughout the year, with the presentations offered by different departments, as well as through grants provided by the GLCA sustainability program. Hope also organizes Earth Week events each year during the nationally designated Campus Sustainability Month as well as activities during April for Earth Day and Arbor Day. These events include speakers, film screenings, awareness activities, and waste/energy reduction competitions, among other things.
https://hope.edu/offices/sustainability/holland-hope-college-sustainability-institute/events.html
They are also shared on our social media accounts:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hollandhopesustainability/
Twitter https://twitter.com/HC_Green
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hopeadvocatesforsustainability/
The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute also helps to host monthly meetings about sustainability. These events are promoted to students, faculty, staff, and community members.
https://blogs.hope.edu/sustainability-institute/events/living-sustainably-along-the-lakeshore/
https://hope.edu/offices/sustainability/holland-hope-college-sustainability-institute/events.html
They are also shared on our social media accounts:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hollandhopesustainability/
Twitter https://twitter.com/HC_Green
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hopeadvocatesforsustainability/
The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute also helps to host monthly meetings about sustainability. These events are promoted to students, faculty, staff, and community members.
https://blogs.hope.edu/sustainability-institute/events/living-sustainably-along-the-lakeshore/
Cultural arts
Yes
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
During our annual Earth Jam the Hope Advocates for Sustainability (HAS) work with our weekly "CoffeeHouse" student group and help organize an event to bring students up on stage to perform (singing, instruments, and readings).
HAS has also hosted contests and upcycling crafting events such as making art and new items from re-purposed materials.
In September 2017 we also hosted an event utilizing the film "A Plastic Ocean." There was a short talk on pollution and art by a local and international artist. She displayed some of her recent work focused on the environmental problem of plastic in aquatic environments. Then a Hope College professor shared information about his microplastic beach pollution research.
HAS has also hosted contests and upcycling crafting events such as making art and new items from re-purposed materials.
In September 2017 we also hosted an event utilizing the film "A Plastic Ocean." There was a short talk on pollution and art by a local and international artist. She displayed some of her recent work focused on the environmental problem of plastic in aquatic environments. Then a Hope College professor shared information about his microplastic beach pollution research.
Wilderness and outdoors programs
Yes
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The student-led Outdoor Adventure Club at Hope College offers various outings for students throughout the year. These include hiking, backpacing, rafting, etc. The Outdoor Adventure Club places an emphasis on environmental responsibility education and abides by Leave No Trace principles.
Sustainability-focused themes
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
Hope offered first-year seminar courses every year.
These courses are designed solely for first year students as they begin their college career - focused on sustainability. These courses included topics such as water conservation, eating sustainably, the benefits and sustainability of bicycling, environmental sustainability, etc... The courses are open to all first year students, and incorporated many sustainability-related texts as part of the course requirements.
Students are also able to participate in our Day 1 programs which offer sustainability related research opportunities. "Gain new skills, work alongside engaged professors and upperclassmen, and tackle real-world problems through research that begins on day one of your college career!"
https://hope.edu/academics/day1/
These courses are designed solely for first year students as they begin their college career - focused on sustainability. These courses included topics such as water conservation, eating sustainably, the benefits and sustainability of bicycling, environmental sustainability, etc... The courses are open to all first year students, and incorporated many sustainability-related texts as part of the course requirements.
Students are also able to participate in our Day 1 programs which offer sustainability related research opportunities. "Gain new skills, work alongside engaged professors and upperclassmen, and tackle real-world problems through research that begins on day one of your college career!"
https://hope.edu/academics/day1/
Sustainable life skills
Yes
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Facilities Team has worked with some of the students living in the campus cottages (off-campus, but college owned housing) in the creation of events that focus on real-world life skills.
The Facilities Team and the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute also brought an energy auditing contractor to campus during the fall of 2015 to assess the efficiency of the campus cottages using the Department of Energy Home Score Tool. Students were encouraged to participate in the assessments of their cottages.
Our Hope Advocates for Sustainability interns also pride themselves on hosting events for our students to gain life-long skills and knowledge on sustainability throughout the academic year.
Through the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute there have been discussions with our partners (City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works) to redevelop our "green cottages" and have them become more of demonstration home. There is more work to be done on this.
The Facilities Team and the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute also brought an energy auditing contractor to campus during the fall of 2015 to assess the efficiency of the campus cottages using the Department of Energy Home Score Tool. Students were encouraged to participate in the assessments of their cottages.
Our Hope Advocates for Sustainability interns also pride themselves on hosting events for our students to gain life-long skills and knowledge on sustainability throughout the academic year.
Through the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute there have been discussions with our partners (City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works) to redevelop our "green cottages" and have them become more of demonstration home. There is more work to be done on this.
Student employment opportunities
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
The Hope Green Team hires 12 interns for the school year.
The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute also works with student interns for various projects around campus and in the community.
The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute also works with student interns for various projects around campus and in the community.
Graduation pledge
No
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
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Optional Fields
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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