When Arizona State University employee Madelynne Greathouse looks at a building on the Tempe campus, she recognizes its beauty — from both inside and out.
“It’s really cool to show off some of our LEED-certified LEED provides a framework for healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. buildings to people because of the design elements and how they’re constructed,” said Greathouse, sustainability graduate student in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and management intern for University Sustainability Practices, who will be conducting Sustainability Tours throughout the month of October.
“For example, if you walk into our Social Sciences courtyard, you'll notice a drop in the temperature from the outside. You'll be surprised to discover that it uses no energy to cool the space The classrooms in the Social Sciences building are air conditioned. . Instead, it uses passive cooling with the water feature and the plants to chill the space . Or how our Student Pavilion’s design captures condensation and filters it into our air conditioning system. It’s a fun and interesting way to get people engaged with sustainability,” she said.
Getting people engaged with sustainability is a year-round mission at ASU, but it is a focal point during October, otherwise known as Campus Sustainability Month. The tradition was started by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, or AASHE, and is an international celebration that encourages seeking innovative ways to make a positive impact on the world.
ASU has organized activities, events and experiences on different campuses throughout the month of October to engage and inspire incoming students and other campus stakeholders to become sustainability change agents. In addition to sustainability tours, the month's offerings include displays, recycling audits, produce giveaways, service projects and more.
“Campus Sustainability Month is an opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues to showcase ASU’s commitment and leadership to sustainability within our campus, our community and beyond,” said Susan Norton, program manager for University Sustainability Practices. “We educate and engage the campus community with events, workshops and activities throughout the month of October that aim to provide actionable steps one can take to help ASU advance our sustainability goals.”
Those eight sustainability goals are what brought Kirby Skoric from Wyoming to ASU, where he is pursuing a master’s degree in the School of Sustainability.
“When I finished my bachelor’s degree in Wyoming, I was on the hunt for what I should do next in terms of pursuing my sustainability career,” said Skoric, who along with Greathouse is a management intern with University Sustainability Practices and a sustainability tour guide. “I did some research and discovered that ASU is committed to sustainability and has received many accolades. For me, they are a leader when it comes to finding sustainable solutions.”
On the tours, both Greathouse and Skoric will discuss ASU’s sustainability goals, but will especially stress personal action.
“When we give these tours, we try and make people aware of all of our efforts here on campus, whether it’s composting, recycling or adopting certain behaviors,” Skoric said. “We raise awareness of the action that ASU is trying to implement.”
In addition to the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory — launched with the goal of keeping our planet habitable and home to the first-ever school dedicated to sustainability — ASU is a global leader in this field.
The results are hard to dispute.
In April, ASU was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 2 globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for work supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
ASU also notched No. 1 on Sierra magazine’s annual “coolest schools” ranking of the most environmentally friendly colleges and universities in North America.
The university is also one of the few institutions in the world that carries a platinum rating by AASHE, which provides a sustainability tracking assessment for colleges and universities.
In 2020, the university surpassed its lofty ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2025 — six years ahead of its original goal.
ASU continues to make progress in landfill waste reduction, diverting 41.3% of its waste to recycling efforts. They also gathered 34 tons of donations for programs such as Treasures for Teachers and the students’ Ditch the Dumpster program.
Green Waste increased by 20% to an all-time high, with 1,261 tons diverted across the ASU Polytechnic, Tempe and West campuses.
Cars are also being folded into ASU’s sustainability plans as the university installed 22 electric charging ports, totaling 98 charging ports available for use across ASU’s four campuses in metropolitan Phoenix.
The university now has 69 LEED-certified building projects and 90 solar installations on all four campuses in the metro Phoenix area. The installations tally approximately 90,000 solar panels, shaded parking spots and stadium seats, and represent nearly 50% of ASU’s current daytime peak load. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, this is enough solar energy to power 3,366 Arizona homes.
Beyond rankings, buildings and solar panels, ASU has fostered a sustainability community of faculty, scholars, staff and students who are free to explore and create sustainability programs and get others to thinking about their role in helping the environment. The Sustainable Cities Network program partnered with the city of Peoria and the town of Clarksdale on 20 applied projects with 307 graduate and undergraduate students. The projects promote research and recommendations on various topics, such as strategic planning for sustainability, affordable housing and sustainable waste management.
That makes Greathouse not only happy, but proud of what she does and how she will lend a hand in shaping the future.
“What I love about sustainability is that it’s a very creative way to live and helps you think beyond the status quo,” Greathouse said. “You’re able to develop solutions outside of the norm that help the environment as well as improve our society.”
Sustainability Displays at Student Pavilion Oct. 4–25
Learn about various campus displays that speak to ASU’s commitment and dedication to ASU’s sustainable practices at the Student Pavilion on the ASU Tempe campus.
Sustainability Walking Tours 2 p.m. Oct. 5; 11 a.m. Oct. 13; 10 a.m. Oct. 18; noon Oct. 24
Each tour starts at the Student Pavilion on the Tempe campus. Find more information and RSVP here.
Sustainability and You at ASU tabling 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 6.
Join the University Sustainability Practices team in celebrating Campus Sustainability Month on Taylor Mall at the Downtown Phoenix campus. Activities include games, giveaways and opportunities for individuals to learn more about sustainability opportunities at ASU.
Men’s football: Green Game 1 p.m. Oct. 8
The ASU men’s football team faces the Washington Huskies at Sun Devil Stadium.
Women’s Volleyball: Green Game 1 p.m. Oct. 9
The ASU women’s volleyball team faces USC at Desert Financial Arena.
Fair Trade Tips, Tricks and Treats Tabling 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 12
Learn about Fair Trade and why it is so important when purchasing with sustainability and ethical labor practices in mind. Fair Trade educational opportunities and treats will be provided. Stop by the table at the Dean's Patio at the W. P. Carey School of Business on the Tempe campus.
Solar Sewing Rover Event – Paul Nosa noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 13
Engage with the artwork of artist Paul Nosa. Utilizing a sewing machine powered fully by a solar panel and bike, Nosa will create sustainable embroidery patches inspired by three words or less. Find University Sustainability Practices, Nosa and his Solar Rover at the Dean’s Patio at the W. P. Carey School of Business on the Tempe campus.
Basics of Herb Gardening 11 a.m. to noon Oct. 14
Stop by the Garden Commons for a Basics of Herb Gardening workshop. Learn about best-growing practices for herbs that thrive in the Sonoran Desert. A tour of the garden and easy-to-start seeds are included. This workshop will take place at the Garden Commons on the Polytechnic campus.
Sustainable Food Fest 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 19
Stop by the Engrained patio to learn more about local sustainable food vendors and the products they produce, grow and sell. Many of these items are used by Sun Devil Hospitality in the various dining halls and P.O.D. Markets across all campuses. This takes place on the Engrained patio on the Tempe campus.
Green Event Planner Training 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 20
Are you hosting an event on campus and curious how you can make it sustainable? Join the University Sustainability Practices team in learning how to host sustainable events. Learn about composting at events, plant-based catering, encouraging public transit use and more at this two-hour informational session. University Sustainability Practices will bring this training to ASU’s West campus in the University Center Building (room 241).
Garden Commons Volunteer Workday 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 21
Join the University Sustainability Practices team for a morning of harvesting, planting and learning about the Garden Commons at ASU’s Polytechnic campus. They’ll host volunteers at the Garden Commons at the Polytechnic campus.
Status of Women Conference Oct. 26–27
Join the women of University Sustainability Practices in conversations about the ways we can reduce waste in our daily routines while still being attentive to our self-care needs. Learn how beauty products, clothing and other common self-care components can negatively impact both the environment and our bodies. Discover more about sustainable alternatives to everyday products and discuss the environmental impacts of clothing choices weighed against sustainably sourced options. Attend “The Intersection of Sustainability and Self-Care” via Zoom from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. on Oct. 26 and in-person at the Tempe campus Memorial Union from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 27.
Single Use Scaries 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 28
Stop by the tables at the Student Pavilion and let the Zero Waste and University Sustainability Practices teams teach you about why single-use items are so scarily unsustainable. Engage with displays of common single-use items and challenge yourself to swap your single-use items for sustainable ones. Tables are located outside of the Student Pavilion on the Tempe campus.
Students, employees and other ASU community members can explore more opportunities like these on ASU Events.
Find more events on the Campus Sustainability Month website and at ASU Events.
Top photo: Sustainability solutions graduate students Kirby Skoric and Madelynne Greathouse walk under the solar shade between the Memorial Union and Hayden Library on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Tempe campus. The two are also management interns and guides for University Sustainability Practices who will lead walking tours during Campus Sustainability Month. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
480-727-5176 marshall.terrill@asu.edu
Thanks to its continuing support of Latino students, Arizona State University has again earned the Seal of Excelencia from the Washington, D.C.-based organization Excelencia in Education.In 2019, ASU was in the inaugural group of nine institutions to earn the new Seal of Excelencia, a prestigious, voluntary and comprehensive certification granted by Excelencia in Education, an organization devoted...
Thanks to its continuing support of Latino students, Arizona State University has again earned the Seal of Excelencia from the Washington, D.C.-based organization Excelencia in Education.
In 2019, ASU was in the inaugural group of nine institutions to earn the new Seal of Excelencia, a prestigious, voluntary and comprehensive certification granted by Excelencia in Education, an organization devoted to Latino student success.
“It was an honor to accept our recertification as a Seal of Excelencia university,” said Nancy Gonzales, executive vice president and university provost in accepting the award at an event on Friday.
“In 2019, ASU was recognized for our commitment to the success of our Latino students when we were among the first cohort of universities in the country to receive the seal.
“Our commitment has only deepened and, as a result, the success of our students has only accelerated since that inaugural year of this recognition. It brings me great pride to represent the work of so many dedicated staff and faculty at ASU whose programs and initiatives have contributed to this important distinction.”
The seal recognizes an institution’s high level of commitment and effort to serve Latino students, and is in addition to ASU’s designation earlier this year as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Seal of Excelencia is based on several factors, including data, such as enrollment of Latino students and representation among faculty, as well as programs to support Latino students and leadership in recruitment, professional development and communications.
“Year over year, ASU welcomes more students from Latino backgrounds, many of whom are our Arizona resident neighbors,” said Matt López, associate vice president for academic enterprise enrollment and the executive director of admission services.
“Our admission team and the entire university community works tirelessly to outreach and counsel these students and their supporters on how ASU wants to be a partner in their lives. We are steadfast in our charter commitment to measure ourselves by the success of those who chose ASU as their higher education home.”
In 2022, ASU’s Hispanic students made up 26% of the on-campus undergraduate population, up from about 20% in fall 2012. ASU Online has also seen growth among Hispanic students, accounting for nearly 23% of total undergraduate online learners in fall 2022.
In terms of actual numbers of students, ASU has more than 16,840 Hispanic undergraduate students among its fall 2022 immersion population, compared with about 10,650 in fall 2012.
When all students — undergrad and graduate, immersion and online — are included, ASU's Hispanic enrollment stands at more than 31,800 students, a big increase from the roughly 12,880 such students in fall 2012.
The number of full-time faculty members who are Hispanic increased 23% from 2015 to 2021, and about 8% of ASU’s full-time faculty in 2021–22 were Hispanic. In addition, 12% of the academic chairs and directors are Latino and two of the three executive vice presidents are Latina: Provost Gonzales and Maria Anguiano, who leads ASU’s Learning Enterprise.
ASU has several initiatives, long-standing and more recent, to recruit and support Latinos. Here’s a look at some of them.
These programs, launched in fall 2020, are part of ASU’s commitment to Black students, faculty and staff, but also have been successful in recruiting Latino scholars. To date, 32 Presidential Graduate Assistants and nine President’s Postdoctoral Fellows have been recruited. Latino scholars make up 31% of the first cohort of graduate assistants and 44% of the postdoctoral fellows.
Krystlelynn Caraballo, who researches how the law influences victimization among foreign nationals in America, is in the first cohort of Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows at ASU. When she came in the spring 2022 semester, she told ASU News that the university’s charter caught her attention.
“This idea that you succeed by who you include and not exclude is something that feels so foreign to me, being a woman of color and someone who has experienced so much discrimination in so many areas of my life,” she said in March.
“I did more research and I realized that ASU does not ask about status, so there are undocumented students who are allowed to pursue higher education here. That was the icing on the cake. This is where I want to be. This is a university that really aligns with my ideals. We should never, as a society, deny anyone the opportunity to obtain higher education and basic necessities such as health care. For ASU to be so welcoming to this incredibly marginalized population, I was sold.”
Caraballo, who is Puerto Rican American, has “she / her / Dra. / Latina” in her email signature and Zoom title.
“Whenever you see my name written, it’s ‘Dra.’ and there’s a specific reason for that,” she said.
“Spanish is a gendered language. In our society, and in academia specifically, there’s a push for diversifying and engaging in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Part of that is having an increase in cultural competency. So I’ve had a number people who see ‘Dra.’ and say, ‘Your title is spelled wrong.’ I am Latina and I identify as female, and therefore, the correct way to say ‘doctor’ is ‘doctora’ or ‘Dra.’
“Given that ASU is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, it’s a small way of acknowledging our cultural heritage.”
Started in 1984, this college-readiness program is one of the oldest initiatives for Latino families and has expanded to include families of any ethnic background with a son or daughter who aspires to be first-generation college student.
The five-year program now serves about 1,000 students and 1,000 family members, according to Alex Perilla, director of the American Dream Academy at ASU.
“What parents really want is to expose their kids to the university,” he said. “And it’s a great opportunity for kids to spend time with their parents.”
About 90% of the students in the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program from 2012 to 2017 pursued a college degree, and 63% of them attended ASU.
Four-year college graduation rates for those in the program were around 58%, higher than for other Latino students and even among all Arizona residents.
The courses, which start in eighth grade and go through 12th, teach families how to prepare for college academically, such as what courses to sign up for in high school and how to manage time, as well as how to acquire scholarships and financial aid.
Deyanira Galaviz-Arguelles, a second-year student at ASU, participated in the program with her older sister, who raised her.
“It created a stronger bond between us since neither of us knew what we were doing and we were both kind of scared and nervous about the process, but we were figuring it out together,” said Galaviz-Arguelles, who is majoring in tourism development with a concentration in meetings and events.
“I always say that if I had not been in the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program, I would not have gotten into ASU,” she said. “It was the biggest blessing of my life.”
Galaviz-Arguelles is still learning skills through her work as a volunteer with the program.
“I was media trained, and I learned how to be on social media and how to be interviewed and how to do events,” she said.
“When I was part of it, it was mostly girls. I think it’s nicer now that’s it’s all inclusive, all for everybody.”
This initiative comprises five community organizations: Chicanos Por La Causa, Si Se Puede Foundation, ASU Los Diablos Alumni Chapter, ASU Hispanic Business Alumni Chapter and the ASU Chicano/Latino Faculty & Staff Association.
Those groups work with ASU to award scholarships to ASU students. Since the 2011–12 academic year, the program has served 589 unique students, and more than 50% are the first in their families to attend college. More than 430 degrees have been awarded, and the average GPA for degree recipients was 3.39.
Alyssa Lizarraga, a third-year student majoring in psychology, is a Los Diablos Scholar.
“I applied my senior year of high school, not thinking I would get it because I had more of a trajectory for community college, but my mom pushed me,” she said.
“Throughout my life, I was embedded in my Hispanic culture — I did Mexican folkloric dance and I had a ton of ways I was in the Hispanic community, and I wanted to be part of a scholarship that represented that, so that’s what involved me to apply. I had a cultural background I wanted to represent.”
The scholarship was enormously helpful.
“It allowed me to live on campus my first year of college, which was amazing and I didn’t think would be possible, and it allowed me to get a job I like instead of one that pays the bills,” said Lizarraga, who works at Dream Zone, an organization that supports undocumented students.
She would like to be a therapist.
“There is a stigma within Hispanic cultures about mental health support. It’s not really a thing,” she said.
“When I was growing up, that was something I had to overcome within my family dynamic.
“I’d like to be able to be at the front of my community saying, ‘Everyone deserves mental health support.’”
This weeklong summer residential camp acclimates high school students to the university experience, offering college preparation, volunteer opportunities, leadership skills and networking.
The young people learn about social media and academic planning. And they also learn about César E. Chávez, who formed the United Farm Workers and was able to improve conditions for agricultural laborers.
Perilla, who led the institute this year, said that the relationships the teenagers form will endure.
“A lot of the presenters we brought in have been CCLI graduates,” he said.
“They get to know each other, and some of them have been around for 25 years, which is remarkable.
“There’s lots of walking around campus,” Perilla said. “They need to feel what the campus is like and imagine themselves walking around campus as university students.”
Vanessa Ruiz, deputy vice president for outreach, said that ASU intentionally designs its student services and initiatives to be culturally responsive to the diverse student populations it serves.
“The programs that contributed to ASU’s recertification are the product of collaborations among ASU faculty experts and staff, our currently enrolled students, as well as trusted community partners — all working together with a shared goal of advancing degree attainment and success for Latino students,” she said.
480-727-4503 marybeth.faller@asu.edu