Jersey City, N.J. – November 20, 2023 – Saint Peter’s University today announced that it is named one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the country according to The Princeton Review. The University was included in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2024 Edition, which profiles 522 institutions that have “exceptional programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment.”
“In today’s world, where the urgency of environmental responsibility weighs heavily on the minds of our students, this recognition holds special significance,” said Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University. “Our commitment to sustainability is deeply rooted in our Jesuit tradition, guiding us to be stewards of the Earth and champions of change. We believe that providing a sustainable and green campus aligns with our mission of nurturing socially responsible individuals who will shape a better world. ”
The Princeton Review chose the 522 colleges for this edition based on its 2022–23 survey of administrators at 683 colleges concerning their institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. The company also surveyed students attending the colleges about their sustainability-related campus experiences. The company editors analyzed more than 25 data points from the surveys to tally Green Rating scores for the schools on a scale of 60 to 99. Colleges that earned a Green Rating of 80 or higher were selected for this edition of the Guide.
“With increasing concern about climate change, particularly among younger people who will be most affected by its long-term impact, we are seeing increasing interest among college applicants in attending green colleges,” said Rob Frankek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “Since we debuted our Green Guide 14 years ago, we have also seen dramatic growth in the number of colleges committing to sustainability-related practices – from sourcing food from local purveyors to constructing LEED-certified buildings to making fossil fuel-free commitments. We are proud to shine our light on these exceptional schools. We recommend them enthusiastically to students who want their ‘best-fit’ college also to be a green one.”
Saint Peter’s University has taken many steps toward sustainability on campus and beyond such as the installation of solar panels; energy efficient lighting and indoor and outdoor receptacles for recycling. The University’s Mac Mahon Student Center was also constructed to be a LEED Silver-certified building.
Students participate in sustainability-oriented groups such as SAVE: Students Against Violating the Earth and Junkyard Dogs. They are able to tailor their studies for an environmental focus through academic programs such as the major in environmental science and the major in biology with a concentration in environmental science. Students also have the opportunity to embrace and study nature on campus, particularly in the Native Plant Garden, which was established by the biology department in 2018. In 2022, the University also celebrated the opening of the Center for Urban Research in Agriculture (CURA) Hydroponics Farm, which has already grown and donated 160 pounds of leafy greens to The Campus Kitchen at Saint Peter’s University and dining services.
Saint Peter’s has been recognized as a Gold Level Smart Workplace by the Hudson County Transportation Management Association and is also the recipient of the Garden State Greenfest Award and the Green Campus Project award from the Independent College Fund of New Jersey. In August 2023, the University was recognized by the Catholic Climate Covenant in the organization’s first U.S. Laudato Si’ Champions Awards. In September 2023, Saint Peter’s received the International Green University Award during the NYC Green School Conference.
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For more than 150 years, Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment. To learn more, please visit saintpeters.edu.
Media Contact
Angeline Boyer
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