FALL 2024

Sustainability Research: Apply for CEJS Fellowship

Calling on all SU students and faculty! One of the primary goals of CEJS is to support the scholarship of Seattle University students and faculty in environmental justice and sustainability endeavors. Each year CEJS awards two faculty fellowships and two student fellowships. Check out the application details and submit your proposal by March 3, 2025.

Campus Sustainability: Top Performer nationwide

Seattle University’s reputation as a leader in sustainability practices has recently been amplified when the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recognized SU as a top performer in five areas in its 2024 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI): Air & Climate Impact, Buildings Impact, Purchasing Impact, Well-being & Work Impact, and being a “star” in Data Accuracy. This recognition is a testament to the vision, planning, commitments, and intentional efforts of SU's leadership and countless colleagues and departments in the university's Laudato Si' journey toward integral ecology. Read more here.

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Tanya Hayes

Dr. Hayes (Chair, Department of Public Affairs and Nonprofit Leadership; and Program Director, Environmental Studies) will serve as Provost Fellow for the Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability this academic year 2024-2025. She will work in partnership with Yolanda Cieters (Interim Director, CEJS; Associate Director of Sustainability) and faculty and staff from across the university to explore ways to expand SU’s sustainability and environmental justice teaching, scholarship, and service, both on campus and via community partnerships in our region and beyond.  In her teaching and research, Dr. Hayes seeks to understand how we can design policies and programs to prompt behavioral changes and support local collective action for sustainable development that is socially just. Read more about Dr. Hayes here.

Campus Sustainability: #9 on Zero Waste ranking

Seattle University has placed ninth on the Top 10 Zero Waste Campuses of 2024, receiving a Zero Waste Certification through the Post-Landfill Action Network’s (PLAN) Atlas Zero Waste program. This is SU’s first time making the list, which is now in its fourth year. The university is committed to developing a zero waste roadmap as part of the Laudato Si' Action Plan (2023) and in recent years has made strides toward this goal by convening a Zero Waste working group, creating a sustainable purchasing policy, and switching to reusable to-go ware in its main dining facility. Read more.

Student Spotlight: Frances Pappajohn-Goldade

Frances Pappajohn-Goldade is a Junior studying Civil Engineering with an environmental specialization, a minor in Math, and a Humanitarian minor. She is the student Program Coordinator at CEJS and also serves as the Student Government of Seattle University (SGSU) SUstainability Delegate, working to connect CEJS with the larger student body and share sustainability opportunities  and accomplishments. She also serves as the President of SU’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) with the goal of bringing a sense of community as well as professional opportunities to her peers who are minorities in STEM field. Frances is passionate about creating more cross campus connections and collaborating to raise awareness about CEJS and all the sustainability work happening at Seattle University.

Stewardship: First Sustainable Purchasing Policy

Seattle University recently adopted its first policy on sustainable procurement. This policy serves as a resource to support and facilitate the purchasing of products and services that minimize the harmful effects on people and the planet from their production, transportation, consumption, and disposal. Each purchasing decision represents an opportunity to choose environmentally and socially preferable products and services, and support companies with strong commitments to sustainability. With this policy, SU accomplishes one of its 27 sustainability goals as adopted in the university’s “Laudato Si’ Action Plan” (2023). Find the policy here.

Alumni Spotlight: Micah Bonkowski

Meet Micah Bonkowski (Environmental Studies '99). Micah is the Solid Waste and Sustainability Administrator for the City of Redmond. In his role, he helps residents and businesses with questions about recycling; prepares City policy statements on waste-related State legislation; advises on regional waste policy at the County level; and supports the implementation of the City of Redmond’s Environmental Sustainability Action Plan. His advice on how to move sustainability issues forward: “You don’t have to work in the sustainability field to make a difference. Every career can be a sustainability career. Higher education institutions should weave sustainability education through every major, just as SU weaves the belief in compassion and service to community through every program.” Read Micah’s interview.

Sustainable Dining: Reusable To-Go

In its efforts to support the university's sustainability goals and reduce waste on campus, Redhawk Dining (SU’s Food Service Provider – a Chartwells company) has launched a reusable container program. No more single-use disposable to-go containers but green Ozzi boxes are now the way to get food on the go. The “Ozzi” is a simple way to reduce single-use plastics and lessen our carbon footprint. Anyone can get a box: it is free for meal plan holders and non-meal plan holders pay a refundable $5 deposit. Read more here.

Research: Sustainability Research Conducted at SU

An important sustainability goal in SU’s “Laudato Si’ Action Plan” is the inventory of sustainability research conducted by SU faculty. The CEJS and the Institute for Catholic thought and Culture (ICTC) partnered to create an online repository that lists all sustainability research performed between AY2020-AY2023. The research is mapped to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Laudato Si' Action Platform Goals. View the repository of sustainability research here.

Sustainability Education: Urban Sustainability

In July, 37 high school students from around the country spent a fun week at Seattle University learning about urban sustainability. The group toured the Capitol Hill Ecodistrict; used environmental sensors at the Ballard Locks; learned about environmental justice in Seattle; explored Lake Washington and Seward Park; conducted water quality testing; learned about urban wildlife; and did laboratory experiments with microplastics. The program was hosted by Drs. John Armstrong and Tanya Hayes (Environmental Studies), Mark Jordan (Biology), Kristy Skogerboe (Chemistry), Phillip Thompson, Wes Lauer, Mike Marsolek, and John Hainze (Civil and Environmental Engineering). Please email precollege@seattleu.edu for more information and read more at "Pre-College at SU."