FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2011
Contact: Ulrike Klein, 617-722-0036 ext. 206, uklein@secondnature.org
Kresge Foundation and Second Nature Team Up to Build Capacity on Climate Action at Financially Challenged Colleges and Universities
BOSTON, MA - The Kresge Foundation has re-invested in Second Nature to promote innovation and leadership among financially strained and minority-serving colleges and universities. The program will help ensure that graduates are prepared to lead the changes needed to overcome the interrelated social, environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century by driving innovative approaches to Education for Sustainability (EfS). Taking a multi-pronged approach, the program will provide capacity-building opportunities for administrators, faculty, students and staff on climate action and sustainability planning.
This program builds on the success of the Advancing Green Building in Higher Education program, which assisted Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and the U.S. Department of Education's Title III and V institutions to "build green" on their campuses.
With a one-year, $554,000 grant The Kresge Foundation has generously provided the anchor support that will enable Second Nature to develop, fund and deliver a comprehensive, multifaceted two-year program. The program components will help institutions leverage the financial and technical resources available to take a comprehensive, systemic approach to climate and sustainability action in ways that save money, reduce negative health impacts, and serve as community models.
"The leadership of higher education in creating a sustainable future has emerged as a driving force in recent years" says Dr. Anthony Cortese, president of Second Nature. "This grant from Kresge comes at a critical time to empower minority-serving and financially strained institutions to bring their leadership to the forefront, in ways that will help the communities they serve create jobs and become healthier and more secure."
The program activities include providing fellowships for sustainability champions on campuses, hosting networking events for these fellows, establish sustainability-focused career mentors, and offering workshops, learning institutes, and skills trainings.
It will also engage under-resourced institutions in cutting-edge Education for Sustainability work around topics like adapting to the impacts of climate disruption, establishing green revolving loan funds on campus and evaluating carbon risk in the institution's supply chain.
Additional program components will provide experiential education for students through internships and leadership programs that support institutional sustainability goals.
This work will enable more institutions understand and take advantage of the benefits of joining theAmerican College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) - a national network of over 675 colleges and universities promoting education and research on climate and sustainability solutions, and working to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from their campus operations.
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The Kresge Foundation is a $3.1 billion private, national foundation that seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations by creating access and opportunity in underserved communities, improving the health of low-income people, supporting artistic expression, increasing college achievement, assisting in the revitalization of Detroit, and advancing methods for dealing with global climate change. The foundation works in six program areas: arts and culture, community development, education, the environment, health, and human services. In 2010, the Board of Trustees approved 481 awards totaling $158 million; $134 million was paid out to grantees over the course of the year. For more information, visit www.kresge.org.
Second Nature is a Boston-based nonprofit organization that works to accelerate movement towards a sustainable future by helping senior college and university leaders in making healthy, just, and sustainable living the foundation of all learning and practice in higher education. Second Nature is the lead supporting organization of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, which has been signed by more than 675 college and university presidents whoa re committed to eliminating carbon emission on campus and training students to help society address the climate crisis. For more information about Second Nature's programs, visit www.secondnature.org.