More than 120 people packed into the Black Family Visual Art Center’s Loew Auditorium on April 24 for the 3rd Annual Sustainability Awards, hosted by Dartmouth’s Office of Sustainability. An awards ceremony recognized the many achievements of Dartmouth community members who advocate on behalf of the environment.
Rosi Kerr ’97, director of the Office of Sustainability, gave a presentation detailing the history of the office, which was established in Fall 2010, before announcing the award winners.
“Each year, the awards give us the opportunity to thank outstanding students, faculty, and staff who work tirelessly, to move the needle on sustainability at Dartmouth,” said Kerr.
A leader of Dartmouth’s $300 House project, Jack Wilson, professor of studio art and of engineering, was recognized with the faculty award. All winners were submitted anonymously. Wilson’s letter of nomination stated, “Jack goes above and beyond to tie course projects to real sustainability challenges on campus and in the world—from the Organic Farm to Haiti. … His work on the $300 House project pushes students to consider what a house means to the people who live in it.”
Don Reed, associate director of dining, was recognized for his exceptional work in sustainability as a staff member. Reed has led the effort to increase regional foods offered by Dartmouth Dining Services. Thanks to Reed’s efforts, now almost 20 percent of all food and beverage products that DDS purchases are from regional sources.
Lastly, the student award was presented to Morgan Curtis ’14. An alumna of Dartmouth’s Big Green Bus, Curtis leads Dartmouth’s fossil fuel divestment campaign and manages the Office of Sustainability’s EcoReps program for first years. According to her nominator, “Morgan has taken ownership over building mentorship and fostering community among environmentally minded students. Her work has touched literally hundreds of students.”
That’s true of all the award winners, Kerr said.
“It’s rewarding to see folks from all areas of the college come together and celebrate their hard work cultivating a community and culture around sustainability solutions on campus,” Kerr said.
