Seattle University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

(1) Spring 2022-Winter 2023: SU Sustainability Culture Survey:

One of the credits in the STARS report (which Seattle University submits every three years) focuses on “Assessing Sustainability Culture” (credit EN6). This motivated the university to launch a biennial sustainability culture survey. The survey is administered by the Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability (CEJS). A CEJS student intern researched sustainability culture assessments from other colleges/universities using the STARS benchmarking tool and content display features to evaluate possible questions for SU's survey questionnaire. Another student intern participated in this project for a full quarter to conduct the survey analysis and write the survey’s report. The survey was conducted in Spring 2022 and the analysis and report were completed in winter quarter 2023.


(2) Academic Year 2023: SUstainability Delegates on SGSU (Student Government of Seattle University):

Since academic year 2023, a SUstainability delegate position has been created as part of SGSU—the undergraduate student government at Seattle University. Three undergraduate students rotate each week to serve in the role of “SUstainability Delegate.” This delegate position is an annual non-voting and unpaid position, providing students an opportunity to share their concerns and advocate for change. The SUstainability delegates serve as a bridge for the student body by promoting and raising awareness about sustainable practices at Seattle University; advocating for initiatives that encourage action for environmental justice; and focusing on the sustainability of SUs campus operations.


3) 2022: Environmental Justice film series by SU student Gabby Robinson:

Gabby Robinson (Double major in Environmental Studies and Film Studies) produced the four-part film series “Our Home?” highlighting the impact of climate change and environmental issues on SU students, such as evacuating from natural disasters, dealing with government oppression, and protesting to protect native lands. Students' personal connections to their stories are made explicit, encouraging viewers to take action and bring change. See more here: https://www.seattleu.edu/cejs/environmental-justice/our-home/


4) 2021-2022 Francis Student Fellowship:
Breann Kniffen obtained a one-year CEJS student fellowship to research native bee keeping to gain a better insight into the diversity and abundance of native bee species in WA state, increase native bee awareness to the public, and to increase native bee abundance on SU campus by testing if bee housing structures increase native bee survival rates.


5) 2021 CampusCup – Promoting Sustainable Menstrual Cups at Seattle University:

In Fall 2021, the student team at the Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability (CEJS) ran a “CampusCup” campaign for SU students. The campaign was in partnership with “All Matters” and an effort to address period poverty and reduce the environmental footprint of menstrual products. For two weeks, SU students could sign up to receive a free menstrual cup. The CEJS students partnered with other campus student clubs and departments to promote sustainable menstrual cups. 360 students received a free cup resulting in 190,080 pads/tampons avoided over the next two years. Read more here: https://www.seattleu.edu/cejs/events/campuscup-2021/

6) 2020-2024: “Conservation Biology” (BIOL 4650—Dr. Mark Jordan):

In this on-campus lab, students are taught principles of biodiversity measurement using invertebrates found in leaf litter. Students develop hypotheses about factors that would lead to differences in invertebrate diversity on campus. They then collect leaf litter from various landscaped areas on campus. Back in the lab they sort and identify the species in the samples and use the data to learn various methods for quantifying biodiversity.

(1) 2020-2024: Seattle Urban Carnivore Project (Dr. Mark Jordan):

Dr. Mark Jordan facilitated the Seattle Urban Carnivore project for independent research in two classes. This project—a collaboration between Seattle University and the Woodland Park Zoo—used wildlife cameras to study the impacts of urbanization on mammals that live in the Seattle area. They also have a wildlife reporting website called Carnivore Spotter. Seattle University students participate in the project by helping maintain camera traps and analyzing data from the cameras and from Carnivore Spotter.


(2) 2020-2024: “Ecology” (BIOL 2600—Dr. Mark Jordan):

Students experienced labs and independent projects where they travel off campus to learn techniques in wildlife camera trapping, water quality measurement, marine biodiversity measurement, and forest vegetation analysis.


(3) 2021-2023: “Environmental Skeptic” (UCOR 2800—Dr. Thomas Pool):

All assignments, readings, and discussions in this class were focused on how climate change will influence the sustainable use/stability of food systems, freshwater availability, and power production. The term paper was a real-world recommendation paper on the best sustainable management option for Grizzly Bear reintroduction into Washington State, factoring in climate change projections and current human use of the Northern Cascades.


(4) 2022-2023: Coffee wastewater treatment testing, Colombia:

Professors Katie Kuder, Paul Smith, Dr. Marsolek and Assistant to the Provost Joe Orlando, worked together to create collaborative activities between SU and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ), in Bogota, Colombia. Dr. Kuder and Dr. Marsolek worked with a small group of Seattle University students, together with students and faculty from PUJ, to test small granular media filters for coffee wastewater treatment at smallholder farms in Colombia.


(5) Winter Quarter 2023: “Graphic Design II” (ARTD 4700— Dr. Naomi Kasumi):

Free Food For All (FFFA) is an organization whose mission is to reduce and bring awareness to individual and societal waste; to distribute and share resources (specifically food to those in need); and create positive ripple effects that strengthen communities and benefit all collectively. SU students participated in a service-learning group project working on an awareness campaign for ecological concerns and sustainable living. Their work was to serve as designers to revamp the organization's website interface and recreate visual assets and organizing the interface to be more user friendly.


(6) Winter and Spring quarter 2023: Tiny Homes Collaborative project (Seattle University’s Engineers For A Sustainable World—ESW):

SU’s student organization Engineers for a Sustainable World worked on a Tiny Homes collaborative project with the Hope Factory. The Hope Factory is a project run by a Seattle based non-profit called Sound Foundations NW that focuses on being a part of the solution to end homelessness by building transitional tiny homes. ESW students presented the project to the student government board, recruited participants, and corresponded with the Hope Factory on a regular basis to organize a plan for the construction of the home.


(7) Spring quarter 2023: Undergraduate Research - “Marine Restoration Ecology Research Project” (BIOL 4990—Dr. Thomas Pool):

This applied research project-based course exclusively focused on assessing the effectiveness of seawall removal projects to bolster native species in the Puget Sound. This project involved working with community groups and non-profit organizations to coordinate and conduct the research.


(8) Spring quarter 2023: Rapping for (Climate) Change, Senegal:
While studying abroad in Senegal, nine Seattle University students wrote and filmed a rap video called “G-23” (Globe 23). This rap was written and performed in French and the messaging was regarding the reality of climate change in Africa and around the world. See more here: https://www.seattleu.edu/newsroom/stories/2023/rapping-for-climate-change-.html


(9) Fall quarter 2023: student research project “Marine Algae farms and carbon sequestration”:

Dr. Thomas Pool was a faculty advisor for a student research project studying how Marine Algae farms may assist with carbon sequestration as a climate change mitigation management strategy.


(10) Winter Quarter 2022 : “Graphic Design II” (ARTD 4700 — Dr. Naomi Kasumi):

A group of four SU students worked for Black Farmer’s Collective whose mission is to build a Black-led food system by developing a cooperative network of food system actors, acquiring and stewarding land, facilitating food system education, and creating space for Black liberation in healing and joy. The students created an awareness campaign for ecological concerns and sustainable living for people of color.


(11) 2022: “Social Impact Advocacy” (ADVC 330—Dr. Steven Bender):

Students worked on an end of quarter project that involved environmental justice and advocacy work around water quality failures in the Duwamish River, Flint Michigan and Mobile Alabama.


(12) In 2021, a team of graduate students developed the Climate Impact Guide (CIG) which uses a streamlined version of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) greenhouse gas emissions calculator to help small businesses determine their baseline carbon footprint. A second team of students worked with a medium-sized, local pizza chain to use the CIG and develop recommendations for reducing the company’s carbon footprint. See: https://seattleu.edu/cejs/get-involved/climate-impact/


(13) 2021: Tiny House Construction for Low income Housing Institute’s Tiny house village:

Students in the Civil and Environmental Engineering and Environmental Science programs created a tiny house. Led by Professors Mike Marsolek and Mike Wright, the house was donated to one of the Low-income Housing Institute's Tiny House Villages. By assembling the house on campus, the students hoped to draw attention to Seattle's homelessness crisis.


(14) 2022 Growing Produce for Immigrant Families:

The SU Grounds Edible Campus student interns partnered with the “Culturally Relevant Plant Program” at the “Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands” to grow produce for immigrant families. Grounds staff and interns learned about diverse cultural produce, urban agriculture and greenhouse growing crops not usually grown in the Pacific Northwest. Some examples of culturally relevant plants that were requested:
Hibiscus sabdariffa – Roselle, Asian Sour Leaf; Bittermelon – Bittergourd; Amaranth for Greens; Wax gourd; Dhol Gourd, Tatsoi, Shungiku, Managu, Tomatillo, Okra,etc.


(15) 2022-2023 Gary L. Chamberlain Student Fellowship:

Peter Durland obtained a one-year CEJS student fellowship to examine the current tree retention laws in the city of Seattle, advocating for a change in policy that balances the need for affordable housing with the benefits that tree coverage provides to the city.


(16) 2020-2024: Many classes at Seattle University encompass “community engagement” into them where students serve the community by working at locations such as urban farms, local elementary and high schools, recovery homes, food banks, soup kitchens, and more. Through service learning, students have the opportunity to cultivate genuine connections with community partners and advocate for social change. AT SU, we believe that community engaged learning is an essential tool to for educating students, as well as creating community, activism, and support in our city. Read more at: https://www.seattleu.edu/cce/


(17) 2020-2024: Senior design projects –Seattle University’s Project Center:

Since 1987, Seattle University’s Project Center has been partnering with businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations who provide complex, real-world assignments for student design teams. In tackling real-world business problems for their industry sponsors, students gain first-hand knowledge of how industry works, and sponsors gain a fresh perspective from the student team. All graduating seniors in Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering will complete a senior design project as part of the Project Center each year. Read more about the project Center here: https://www.seattleu.edu/scieng/project-center/
Some project examples students have participated in:
• 2021: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Development: Seattle University students worked with King County to conduct an alternatives analysis for GSI at Sunrise Elementary School in Redmond, Washington. The team completed a site characterization, engaged the community through a survey, analyzed three design alternatives for improvements to flow control, water quality, environmental benefits, and cost. This was part of the Projects Center
• 2021 - Off-Grid Electrical System for Urban Greenhouse: Seattle U students worked with The Black Farmers Collective to design a renewable off-grid electrical system to power loads such as fans, water pumps and security lights in their Yes Farm greenhouse.
• 2022 - Larned Apartment Seismic Retrofit: Community Roots Housing is an affordable housing organization dedicated to providing quality homes for all people. Because the apartments were not safe in the event of an earthquake or other natural hazards, Seattle university engineering students designed the mitigation concepts for the Larned Apartments
• 2022 - Raw Land Reports: Seattle university students worked with, EnviroVector, a local environmental organization, to create a interface that compiles all the necessary government and satellite data related to land use, watersheds, and wildlife. This project helped create a user friendly, efficient platform for conservationists and scientist to use in their work.
• 2022- Search Engine of Community Organizations: Seattle University students worked with Mari's Place for the Arts, which is a local non-profit that empowers low-income BIPOC children, youth, and families to pursue their dreams. Because Mari’s Place has been severely underfunded, Seattle u students created a desktop application which allows the user to search for grants and funders that may be interested in supporting this organization.
• 2022 - The Effects of Pond Levelers on Flow and Overtopping Frequency In beaver Dams: A group of students studied the impacts of pond levelers on beaver dam overtopping frequency by constructing water depth sensors and analyzing overtopping frequency between dams
• 2022 - Evaluation of unmanned aircraft systems (uas) and traditional aerial imagery for mapping large wood on forested shorelines of an urbanized pacific northwest estuary: A group of students developed and tested aerial survey approaches to mapping estuaries and forested areas using variable elevations, flight patterns, and camera angles with a Mavic Air 2 UAS.
• 2023 - Rainwater Collection/ irrigation System for An urban Farm: Yes Farm is an urban farm located in Yesler Terrace. A group of students developed a retrofit design for the farm to achieve more efficient water storage. They conducted a literature review and ariel surveys to create the plan.
• 2023: Snoqualmie River Gauge screening and Algorithm and Inundation Map Development: Snoqualmie Valley Preservation Alliance (SVPA) is a nonprofit organization that supports developing sustainable solutions for land use and floodplain. the Seattle U team designed an updated flagging algorithm to thoroughly screen incoming gauge flooding data for errors.


(18) 2021-2023: “Senior Synthesis” (EVST 4900 Dr. Tanya Hayes):

The Senior Synthesis course (Environmental Studies Program) provides students with an opportunity to connect knowledge and skills acquired in the University Core to those acquired through courses in the Environmental Studies program. Students will complete a research report in alignment with their specialization in Environmental Studies. The written research report includes standard professional paper components: abstract, introduction, methodology, results, data analysis, conclusions, bibliography. At the end of the quarter there is a public presentation of research study and results. The projects below are examples of the topics related to public engagement from the past couple of years.
2023:
• Food Waste Management in Urban Areas
• Solutions and Mitigation Measures for Anthropogenic Noise Pollution On the Southern Resident Killer Whales
• Urban Garden Health and Demographic Disadvantages: Examining inequities in Seattle P-Patches

2022:
• Economics of Decarbonizing Energy Systems in the Pacific Northwest: Updated market models under high levels of renewable energy source use.
• Evaluating Climate Mitigation Strategies for Seattle’s Bus Rapid Transit System
• Wildfire Mitigation in the Pacific Northwest

2021:
• 700,000,000 Gallons: Managing Seattle Stormwater Runoff
• The Future of Public Transportation: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Altered the Push for Sustainable Transit Systems in Urban Spaces

(1) 2016-2024: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory analysis (CEJS student internship):

Each academic year, 1-2 SU undergraduate student interns assist the Associate Director of Sustainability with data collection, analysis and reporting for Seattle University’s GHG emissions inventory. The data is imported into SIMAP and used to track SU’s emission reductions as well as study possible strategies for future emission reductions on campus.


(2) Winter quarter 2023: Campus Green Fleet research and policy development (CEJS student internship):

An SU student did a comparative research study of green fleet policies across higher education institutions to support the development of Seattle University’s version of a Campus Green Fleet Policy. One of the goals SU adopted in its most recent sustainability action plan (“Laudato Si Action Plan”: https://www.seattleu.edu/ictc/laudato-si-action-platform/laudato-si-priorities-and-goals/#d.en.5825736) is to develop a campus-wide green fleet policy in an effort to reduce SU’s scope 1 emissions from on-campus vehicles.

(1) Winter 2021: Sustainable Engineering (CEEGR 3860—Dr. Phillip Thompson)
Using Seattle University’s Kolvenbach houses (two early 20th century houses that are used for student housing), students sized PV arrays, reimagined the building envelopes and sized rainwater collection systems for toilet flushing.

(1) April 2022: Residence Hall “Do More to Save More” Traveling Display:

For Earth Month 2022, students from the Residence Hall Association worked with the Facilities department and CEJS to create “traveling displays” for the four major residence halls displaying data and graphics about water and energy use in the respective residence halls. The display traveled from hall to hall to inform student residents on their water and energy consumption and to spur action.


(2) Winter 2024: Student support at Facilities:
A student assisted the Facilities department with an LED retrofit for downlights in the Pigott Building, floors 1-4. This project has been impactful for the University’s energy conservation efforts.

(1) Academic Year 2023: Sustainability Student Intern at Redhawk Dining:

This academic year, Redhawk Dining (Chartwells at SU; Chartwells is SU’s food service provider) hired a sustainability student intern. The student works with SU’s food recovery partners, Operation Sack Lunch (local nonprofit organization) and the SU Food Pantry (managed by Wellness and Health Promotion), to aid in the fight against systemic food insecurity. The student also works with Chartwells employees to ensure accurate and precise data entry into Chartwells’s food waste reduction application called “Waste Not 2.0.” Both of these efforts have been meaningful steps in institutionalizing sustainability initiatives for Chartwells and Seattle University.


(2) Food Certifications Guide for Seattle University students:

Ashley Hagar researched (for both her capstone projects of Communications and Environmental Studies) food labels and consumer motivations behind purchasing products with various certifications. Based on her research, she created a guide that is available for students to learn more about food certifications that are common across Seattle U’s campus and beyond. The certifications included in the guide specifically reflect on Seattle U’s Laudato Si goals of purchasing certified food as well as Redhawk Dining’s newly implemented climate labeling. Read more here: https://www.seattleu.edu/earthtalks/earth-talks-2023/


(3) 2021-2023: “Buyer Behavior” (MKTG 3510 —Dr. April Atwood):

Routinely, in this class, students choose a project topic that relates to sustainability-related behaviors on campus, such as reuse and recycling; more sustainable food choices. The student teams are encouraged to talk to the relevant managers and coordinators on campus, so they can learn more about the current state and can coordinate their recommendations with university goals and initiatives underway. They sometimes present their recommendations (via a person-to-person presentation or a written report) to the managers/coordinators related to their work. In 2021, a group of students focused on encouraging people who “dine in” on campus to make more sustainable food choices like locally grown, organic or meat-free options. Another group of students used different marketing strategies to encourage on-campus diners to eat less meat.

(1) 2020-2023: student service projects supporting the edible gardens and green spaces at SU:

Several student volunteer groups wanting to perform volunteer services on SU campus participated in seasonal project work with the Grounds team. Projects consisted of students assisting with planning and execution of garden clean ups, tree and shrub plantings during Earth Month, University Mission Day, Homecoming Week and Civic Day. The student clubs that wanted a deeper experience of a project, that went from start to finish, reached out to Grounds and had projects planned and scheduled per individual groups based on their objectives and availability.
Some examples of student service projects supporting the edible gardens and green spaces at SU:
a. Engineers for a Sustainable World students performed garden renovation, irrigation installation, and tree and shrub planting at the Chardin Edible Garden
b. The Athletics’ Redhawk Experience Student Service Program performed landscape pruning and cleanup at Campion Res Hall and Casey building.
c. Sullivan Law School Student Club performed garden renovation and tree planting at the Redhawk Center.


(2) 2023: Edible Campus student interns:

Two student interns worked with the Edible Campus Initiative, mentored by Grounds Department staff. Through this experience, they have grown and harvested organic produce for SU’s Food Pantry and Byrd Barr Place (a local Food Bank). They have also supported the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetland where they worked to grow and organize culturally relevant vegetable plants for immigrant families.


(3) 2021-2024: “Cultural Anthropology”; “Cross-Cultural Perspectives” (ANTH 2120 and UCOR 1600—Dr. Robert Efird):

Dr. Rob Efird has been integrating Seattle University’s Taqwesheblu Vi Hilbert Ethnobotanical Garden into his courses for students to learn hands-on about local Indigenous relationships with native plants. Students are then expected to write a profile on a plant that they connected with.


(4) Spring 2021 and Spring 2023: “Taking Flight: Avian Biology” (UCOR 1800—Dr. Rebecca Hartley):

Students participated in on-campus bird watching throughout the quarter. Students gained experience and knowledge about using binoculars to study bird behavior and the importance of pesticide-free practices at SU for insect survival.


(5) Winter and Spring Quarter 2021-2023: “Biology II” (BIOL 1621—Dr. Heather Brown):

One of the labs for this class has Seattle University students do a self-guided tour of the plants on campus. The students make hypotheses about plants of certain species and then find them on the Seattle University campus and then identify their physical structures and appearances.


(6) 2021-2023: “Ecology” (BIOL 2600—Dr. Lindsay Whitlow):

This course explores patterns and processes in nature by studying population, community, and ecosystem dynamics through introducing foundational theories and modeling techniques. Combines lectures with field laboratories at local sites for team research that develops into independent projects. One of the labs focuses on comparing the population of terrestrial lead-litter invertebrates among sites on and off Seattle University’s campus to determine the effects of organic, pesticide-free ground management.

7. 2022: “Ecological Psychology” (PSYC 3330—Dr. Le Xuan Hy):

At the beginning of this course, students chose a place on campus, such as a colony of a few trees in a specific location, and monitored the changes during the 10 weeks and the interactions with insects, birds, dogs.


8. 2021: Green Roofs at Seattle University:
Zak Smith, was an intern with SU Groundskeeping where he learned the importance of greenery in urban areas and did research about green roofs, specifically
the challenges and opportunities of green roofs as a climate solution for Seattle University.


9. 2021: Digital Design Student Independent Study:
A student in the Digital Design program recorded the unique history of Fujitaro Kubota and his everlasting influence on SU’s campus landscapes.


10. 2021: Native Bee Monitoring Study (SU Grounds students):

Students involved with the SU Grounds team learned to perform a native bee monitoring study and collected data on bloom and pollinator gaps in campus landscapes.

1. Winter and Spring quarter 2023: Sustainable Purchasing Policy:

An MBA student at SU conducted a comparative research study of sustainable purchasing policies across higher education institutions to support the development of Seattle University’s version of an Ethical, Equitable, and Sustainable Purchasing Policy, one of the goals SU adopted in its most recent sustainability action plan (“Laudato Si Action Plan”: https://www.seattleu.edu/ictc/laudato-si-action-platform/laudato-si-priorities-and-goals/#d.en.5825751). She played an important role in the working group that drafted the final policy version which was adopted in February-March 2024.


2. (All Year) RAMP-up program:

Seattle University’s Resource Amplification & Management Program (RAMP-up) is an experiential learning program that connects campus and community to support local businesses in underserved areas of Seattle. SU RAMP-up program has worked closely with the procurement department to operationalize the campus wide Supplier Diversity Initiative launched in 2021. From the partnership with procurement, DBEs increased from 417 to over 800 and spending increased 3.5% for DBEs in two years. See more: https://www.seattleu.edu/business/centers-and-programs/iec/ramp-up/

1. Spring quarter 2023: Campus-wide Commuting Survey:

In spring quarter 2023, a student from the Albers School of Business and Economics participated in a full quarter internship project to conduct the analysis and write the report of Seattle University’s campus-wide commuting survey. The commuting survey was conducted and administered in winter quarter 2023 by the CEJS in partnership with SU Facilities and the Department of Public Safety and Transportation (DPST). The survey is conducted every other year to assess commuting patterns of Seattle University’s students, staff and faculty. The information allows us to study commuting habits over the years and also support data needs for SU’s STARS report and the university’s annual greenhouse gas emissions inventory.

1. 2021-2023: “Buyer Behavior” (MKTG 3510—Dr. April Atwood):

Routinely, in this class, students choose a project topic that relates to sustainability-related behaviors on campus, such as reuse and recycling; more sustainable food choices. The student teams are encouraged to talk to the relevant managers and coordinators on campus, so they can learn more about the current state and can coordinate their recommendations with university goals and initiatives underway. They sometimes present their recommendations (via a person-to-person presentation or a written report) to the managers/coordinators related to their work.
In winter quarter 2023, a group of students focused on how to persuade people that dine on campus to choose reusable rather than disposable plates and containers. Another group of students focused on encouraging the use of reusable water bottles instead of purchasing water or other drinks in plastic bottles at Seattle University’s dining facilities.


2. 2023: “Sustainable Business Marketing” (MKTG 4630—Dr. April Atwood):
Dr. April Atwood’s Sustainable Marketing course had a group of students focused on a project to build awareness and encourage the use of a possible future “reuse platform” within the campus community. They drafted an online platform and pitched the creation of a Buy Nothing club on campus.


3. 2021: Developing a RENEWSU app:
With the goal of reaching zero waste, Seattle University’s Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability (CEJS) and Facilities Department teamed up, in 2021, with a team of computer science students to sponsor a platform that would further advance sustainable practices on campus. The goal of this project was to build a website accessible on both desktop and mobile where students and employees can easily post and request unwanted items for free in an effort to encourage the circulation of items on campus, conserve resources, build community, and achieve Seattle University’s zero waste goals. Read more here: https://www.seattleu.edu/media/college-of-science-and-engineering/files/projectcenter/SU-projectsday-book.pdf

(1) 2021-2023: Design, build, install "Flag Pole" campus raingarden (Engineers for a Sustainable World):

The students of SU’s Chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) constructed a small detention raingarden on campus with the help of SU Grounds. The project gave students the opportunity to design, plan, and build a rain garden to support rain runoff reabsorption, filtering pollutants carried by runoff, and address stormwater concerns. The rain garden features native plantings chosen by students and approved of by SU Grounds. The project began with design sessions assisted by landscape architecture professionals from the Berger Partnership and Urban Rain Design. Washington Native Plant Society awarded educational grant funding for the purchase of plants and drainage materials.


(2) April 2022: Residence Hall “Do More to Save More” Traveling Display:

For Earth Month 2022, students from the Residence Hall Association worked with the Facilities department and CEJS to create “traveling displays” for the four major residence halls displaying data and graphics about the water and energy use in the respective residence halls. The display traveled from hall to hall to inform student residents on their water and energy consumption and to spur action.

(1) Spring quarter 2023-Winter quarter 2024: Participation in STARS report data collection and analysis:

Seattle University’s CEJS works every three years on the submission of the STARS report, engaging 2-4 student interns to collect and analyze data and assist in writing the report. The STARS report is a vital tool to guide our university’s sustainable development efforts and support the integration of sustainability into the institution’s planning.


(2) Winter and Spring quarter 2022: Sustainability Action Plan baseline:

A student intern at the CEJS supported the Associate Director of Sustainability with creating a baseline of Seattle University’s goals, commitments, programs, practices, and STARS results and mapped them to the following two sustainability frameworks: The “Laudato Si Action Platform” and the “UN Sustainable Development Goals.” She created a matrix that served as the foundation for the development of Seattle University’s priorities and goals and the resulting SU’s sustainability “Laudato Si” Action plan.

1. All year: Students supporting MOSAIC programming:

The MOSAIC Center (Meaningful Opportunity for Student Access, Inclusion, and Community; www.seattleu.edu/mosaic) provides specific programs, resources, and services for our non-traditional students, which include but not limited to, our Veteran and Military Connected students, Graduate Students & Adult Learner Students, and Transfer Students. MOSAIC has student staff dedicated to creating social and educational programs for each of these student populations.


2. All-year: Student engagement in SU’s Food Pantry:

All students at SU have access to the SU Food Pantry. Each week, the food pantry is supplied with fresh produce from SU’s edible campus gardens and the campus greenhouse. WHP (Wellness and Health Promotion) student staff pack leftover food from dining and catering events creating pre-packaged freezer meals for students facing food insecurity.

3. All-year: RAMP-up Program:
Seattle University’s Resource Amplification & Management Program (RAMP-up) is an experiential learning program that connects campus and community to support local businesses in underserved areas of Seattle. SU RAMP-up program has worked closely with the procurement department to operationalize the campus wide Supplier Diversity Initiative launched in 2021. From the partnership with procurement, DBEs increased from 417 to over 800 and spending increased 3.5% for DBEs in two years.
RAMP-up offers business coaching, resource connections, business planning, project management assistance, and other technical support. It’s a win/win/win: Seattle U students receive solid experiential learning, the university creates deeper connections with its local neighborhoods, and the businesses gain access to additional resources and business services.
The RAMP-up team, consisting of highly-trained students and coaches, works closely with Diverse Business Entities and their service providers for one or more years so they can augment their own capacity to remain, grow, and thrive in the neighborhood. RAMP-up focused on small business owners from underserved communities in the Seattle area. As Seattle undergoes rapid, dynamic changes, it is vital to preserve the social, ethnic, and economic fabric of these businesses, which has made the city such an attractive destination. See more: https://www.seattleu.edu/business/centers-and-programs/iec/ramp-up/

1. Fall quarter 2021 and Winter quarter 2022: Sustainable Investment Policy:

A CEJS student conducted a comparative research study of sustainable investment policies across higher education institutions to support the development of Seattle University’s version of a sustainable investment policy including environmental, social, and corporate governance [ESG] criteria. The data served as an important resource for the Socially Responsible Investment Working group to develop an ESG ESG-amendment to Seattle U’s investment policy which was presented to SU’s Investment Committee. In 2022 SU’s Board of Trustees adopted the ESG-amendment with the goal to advance ESG considerations in the selection of investment funds and managers.

1. All Academic year: The Health and Wellness Crew (HAWC):

The Health and Wellness Crew (HAWC) with "SU's Wellness and Health Promotion" with "SU's Wellness and Health Promotion" is made up of student volunteers who are trained as certified peer health educators. They offer support, provide resources and develop and implement programs and awareness campaigns across campus.
https://www.seattleu.edu/wellness/hawc/


2. University Recreation's (UREC) fitness program
University Recreation's (UREC) fitness program engages student staff in experiential learning connected to health and wellness. Fitness instructors go through a GFIT class which teaches them the basics of anatomy and how to properly warm up and cool down the body (in addition to the specifics of the classes they are hoping to teach). After this training they then teach those classes to peer students, faculty and staff. Every day of their job they are leaning into creating wellness for our broader community.
https://www.seattleu.edu/recreation/