Sustainability leadership pays dividends with announcement of new student award
Making a difference in the realm of sustainability can be a long-term investment. However, through a generous donation by an MSUM Alumni, the Office of Campus Sustainability is proud to announce the creation of an award designed to encourage, recognize, and immediately reward student leadership in the field of Campus Sustainability.
Unlike a traditional scholarship, the award’s merit lays in a direct impact on student engagement in the greening of our campus, and returns a direct payback to the student. All MSUM students, regardless of Major, are eligible for the award, which will be presented at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Nominations will be accepted for a two-week period preceding finals week each semester, and results will be announced near the end of the term.
In addition to the recognition granted by the award, it will be accompanied by a $500.00 stipend, payable directly at the end of the semester. The student who most visibly demonstrates leadership in sustainability on campus or in the community will be selected as the recipient.
The idea for the award came about when the donor, a longtime colleague of Sustainability Coordinator Joe Herbst, approached him last spring to talk about giving back to MSUM. The donor had been hearing about the coordinated efforts to make MSUM greener and decided it was time to reinvest in his Dragon Pride.
The main purpose of the award is to recognize, encourage, and reward MSUM students to make a difference on their campus. One of the first of its kind, the financial portion of the award will be disbursed not as a scholarship, but as an actual cash award at the end of each semester. According to Herbst, “we have a very bright and creative student body at MSUM, and they care about sustainability. But they also have bills to pay, or the time to take a trip but no cash to go anywhere. This award is designed to motivate leadership, and deliver a financial payload when they need it most-at the end of the semester. ”
Campus Sustainability Leadership Award