CONGRATULATIONS 2018 Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Award Recipients

Campus Sustainability Office June 1, 2018
Staff & Faculty
Students
Sustainability Leadership
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Congratulations to the 2018 Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Awards (CUPSA) winners!  The Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Awards (CUPSA) recognize individuals and teams who have exemplified the sustainability values of Cornell, made significant and notable contributions to the sustainable development and social equity of the Cornell campus, or displayed outstanding partnership for advancing sustainability within our campus and community.

2018 CUPSA Award Winners

  • Group: Cornell Thrift
  • Group: Society for Natural Resource Conservation
  • Faculty: Jonathon Paul Schuldt, Assistant Professor,  Communications Department 
  • Staff: Sam Benson, RHD, Ecology House
  • Student: Lauren Yeaman ’18
  • Student: Carli Fraccarolli ’18
  • Service Award: Amy Penick, Sustainability Metrics Fellow ‘17
  • Community Partners: BikeWalk Tompkins & Ithaca Carshare

 

Learn more about this year's award winners:

Group Award Category 

Cornell Thrift

Cornell Thrift  was started two years ago to provide an outlet year-round for Cornell students to pass on their unwanted clothing, electronics etc. to avoid contributing to the waste stream. They were inspired by the concept of “free‐piles” seen in university co‐operative housing and the annual dump and run sale.  Through initiatives such as Ezra Exchange Closets and their various mending and upcycling workshops, the team raises awareness amongst Cornell students about the unnecessary waste that each of us generate as well as provide substantial resources that empowers everyone to live differently. Cornell Thrift helped organize Sustainable Living Fair that is happening next Thursday that brings together environmental organizations on campus to teach about zero waste living.  They represent an extremely well-organized team of individuals deserving of recognition not only for their leadership in “walking the talk,” but their ability to collaborate and successfully mobilize new groups of both students and staff across campus in their programs. 

Group Award Category 

The Society for Natural Resources Conservation (SNRC)

The Society for Natural Resources Conservation (SNRC) combines collaboration and passion to encourage community environmental and resource conservation through the implementation of educational events and programs. Just a sampling of SNRC projects:

  • initiated and is expanding TerraCycle collection bin locations across campus

  • hosts Fall Creek Gorge Stewardship events

  • promotes the use of reusable mugs through a social-media photo campaign

  • organizes an annual zero-waste Earth Day 5K to demonstrate sustainable living practices, raise awareness for environmental issues, and support local conservation groups

  • instituted a fee for plastic bags at the Cornell Store

SNRC collaborates with a diverse group of organizations to make the broadest and strongest impact possible.

Faculty and Staff Award Category

Dr. Jonathon Paul Schuldt, Communications Department

Dr. Jonathon Schuldt is an assistant professor in the Dept. of Communications. Professor Schuldt brings in essential attitudinal and behavioral theories related to environmental communication into the classroom. He engages students in sustainability issues from a communication perspective. One student states that what he has learned in his class was very helpful in his work with the Campus Sustainability Office. In his collaborative environmental research, Schuldt addresses social, political, and policy implications of climate change often taking public opinion into account. His work plays an important role in educating the public about everyday intentions and decisions related to being sustainable. As a member of the PSCC people team, Professor Schuldt helped create the sustainability literacy survey which has been an important tool and metric to gauge students from incoming freshman to graduation their growth in sustainability and climate literacy.

Faculty and Staff Award Category

Sam Benson, RHD, Ecology House

Sam Benson (Simon Wheeler)Sam Benson is the Residence Hall Director of The Hurlburt Ecology House. Sam is deeply committed to the house mission, which is to introduce students “… to begin to change the world [and live] sustainably.”. Sam promotes mission building and the creation of a Service Chair as an outreach student leadership position and she is dedicated to the professional and personal development for the house members. She has helped change the dorm to using sustainable cleaning products. She worked with the Eco Sustainability Assistant to get the Ecology House changed over to be 100% solar powered and piloted the first residential installment of the mini bins for landfill waste, seeing a marked decrease in overall landfill waste and better recycling separation. Sam partnered with Terracycle to get five specialty recycling bins to help with waste management. She tries engaging and influence other Residence Hall

Student Award Category

Lauren Yeaman ’18

Lauren Yeaman is an Environmental and Sustainability Sciences major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.