This spring, the IC Office of Energy Management & Sustainability presented the inaugural Ithaca College Sustainability Awards to individuals, clubs and community organizations who made recent sustainability contributions on campus and the greater Ithaca community.
The following awards were presented at the IC Sustainability Week Pop-Up Pub on April 17th.
- The “Ripple Effect” Student Award– An award that recognizes a student whose work in sustainability has positively influenced both campus and the broader community. The award winner for 2024 was Vivian Rose. As a part of her role as the Staff Writer and Assistant News Editor at The Ithacan, Vivian has covered numerous sustainability focused stories. One of her nominators wrote, “These articles are not only informative for the IC community, but also the community at large.”
- The “Environmental Resilience” Staff Award– An award that recognizes a staff member that has advanced campus sustainability work through both flexibility and dedication. The award winner for 2024 was Crissi Dalfonzo, Director for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services at IC. Crissi received the award for her development of the Gender Affirming Closet project, a donation-based, completely free, clothing closet housed within the LGBTQ Center in Towers Concourse 110. The closet has a wide variety of clothing, shoes, and accessories. In her nomination it was said that Crissi “worked with several other campus departments to repurpose surplus furniture in order to create this comfortable and easy to use permanent clothing closet…The closet is open to everyone, of all genders and sexualities.”
- The “Eco-Blazer” Club Award– An award presented by the IC Eco Reps for a club or organization that has taken on a meaningful sustainability initiative. The award winner for 2024 was the IC Eco Reps led by program manager Adriana Sulca. The Eco Reps are known for their work on a wide range of campus sustainability initiatives. Particularly impactful this year was the Eco Reps sponsored Friday night food donation efforts. These drives resulted in packaging over 3,000 lbs. of unserved dining hall food to help serve over 3,000 meals to community members in greater Ithaca.
- The “Green Apple” Faculty Award– This award honors a faculty member who has made a positive campus community impact on a sustainability issue. The award winner for 2024 was Dr. Margaret Shackell. Dr. Shackell teaches in the School of Business and is a regular contributor to environmental issues on campus including her work as a committee member for IC’s Sustainability Week. As one of her nominators said, “Margaret has lived and breathed sustainability in every aspect of her personal and professional life. It is a crucially important area in the accounting profession, and she has advanced the cause for the profession through her research, teaching, and service on campus and beyond.”
- The “South Hill Sustainable Bridge” Community Award– This award honors a community organization or agency that provided excellent sustainability support to IC. The award winner for 2024 is the Friendship Donation Network (FDN). FDN received the award their assistance in helping IC advance local food donation efforts. As noted in their nomination, “They (particularly Meaghan Sheehan Rosen (IC Alum) and Emily Ashby) have been so supportive and committed to this effort, coordinating pickup and delivery of all of the meals every Friday night, and even going above and beyond to collect used containers to make it a more sustainable program.”
Award recipients were presented a certificate designed by IC’s Print Shop along with a handmade, wood burned clock created by IC Eco Rep Nandini Agarwal. Thanks also to IC Senior Rosie Bostian who helped to structure and promote the inaugural awards.
For any questions and suggestions regarding the IC Sustainability Awards please contact Scott D. Doyle, Director of Energy Management & Sustainability at sdoyle@ithaca.edu.