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Messiah Featured in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 353 Green Colleges: 2015 Edition”

April 17th, 2015

greencolleges_homepageMessiah College is one of the 353 most environmentally responsible colleges according to The Princeton Review. The education services company known for its test prep and tutoring services, books, and college rankings features Messiah in the 2015 edition of its free book, The Princeton Review Guide to 353 Green Colleges.

Published April 16, a few days before the April 22, 2015 celebration of Earth Day, the free, 218-page guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.

The Princeton Review chose Messiah for this sixth annual edition of its “green guide” based on data from the company’s 2014 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning the schools’ commitments to the environment and sustainability.

How Schools Were Chosen for the Guide

The Princeton Review chose the colleges based on “Green Rating” scores (from 60 to 99) that the company tallied in summer 2014 for 861 colleges using data from its 2013-14 survey of school administrators. The survey asked them to report on their school’s sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. More than 25 data points were weighted in the assessment. Schools with Green Rating scores of 83 or higher made it into this guide.

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Messiah College earns Tree Campus USA designation for third consecutive year

June 24th, 2014

Messiah College earned recognition as a 2013 Tree Campus USA,® a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota that honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.

To obtain this distinction, Messiah College has met the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry required by Tree Campus USA, including establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

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Messiah featured in Princeton Review’s “Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2014 Edition”

May 22nd, 2014

Messiah College is among 322 schools nationwide featured in the 2014 edition of Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges.

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Messiah College among most environmentally responsible colleges according to Princeton Review

May 1st, 2013

Messiah College is one of the 322 most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company profiles Messiah College in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges.”

The Princeton Review chose the schools for this guide based on a 50-question survey it conducted in 2012 of administrators at hundreds of four-year colleges.  The Company analyzed data from the survey about the schools’ course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation to measure their commitment to the environment and to sustainability.

To learn more about Messiah extensive sustainability efforts, visit www.messiah.edu/sustainability.

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Messiah earns Tree Campus USA designation for second year

March 14th, 2013

For the second year in a row Messiah College has received Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation. To obtain this distinction, Messiah has met the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry required by Tree Campus USA, including establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

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Messiah College earns Tree Campus USA designation

April 17th, 2012

 Messiah College is one of 148 colleges and universities nationwide to receive Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Campus USA recognizes sustainably managed college campuses and their commitments to effective community forestry management.

Tree Campus USA was launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation as a way to honor colleges, universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of environmental stewardship.

Messiah College owns 450+ acres and much of that property is heavily forested and undeveloped. To promote the health, safety and beauty of Messiah’s trees, a sub-group of the college’s Sustainability Committee drafted a Campus Tree Care Plan. It was this plan that earned recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation. Key components of that plan include inventorying and digitally tagging all the campus trees.

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Messiah College uses DEP grant to protect water quality of campus stream

March 29th, 2012

David Foster, Messiah College professor of biology and environmental science, is managing a $35,800 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to plant a riparian buffer along 500 feet of a stream, located at the base of Cemetery Hill, which feeds the Yellow Breeches. The buffer will resemble a meadow; sycamore and other native trees will provide needed shade to keep the water cool for wildlife and to slow down erosion.

In addition, the grant will allow the College to install a rain garden in the area adjacent to the riparian buffer. This will catch runoff coming across the field from Grantham Road when that particular area floods. This half-acre rain garden will contain native plants that attract butterflies; it is expected to be completed by the end of summer.

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University Business magazine profiles how Messiah offsets utility expenses by reducing energy usage

February 1st, 2012

Brad Markley, director of facility services, outlines for the Jan. 2012 issue of University Business the creative ways Messiah College is tackling expenses by reducing energy usage. He cites the construction of the solar thermal panels on North Complex and the implementation of energy efficient lighting in the dining hall and gymnasium as primary examples of how Messiah has helped offset rising utility expenses. 

Read “The Other Side of the Budget Equation.”

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Messiah College appoints its first full-time sustainability coordinator

June 30th, 2011

Following a successful year of effectively leading a Sustainability Committee comprised of students, faculty and staff as well as implementing several new campuswide creation care initiatives, Craig Dalen has been appointed Messiah College’s first full-time sustainability coordinator. (During the 2010-2011 academic year, Dalen served in this role on a part-time basis.)

“This is an exciting time for the college.  Students want to see our commitments to sustainability lived out in all aspects of the college, and we are currently at a place where we are experiencing integration from all areas of the institution: from student engagement, academics and operations.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Class of 2011 sets new record in effort to restore the Yellow Breeches Creek

June 10th, 2011

 Members of the Class of 2011 set a goal of raising $7,002 (which is the reverse of the year they started at Messiah College: 2007) to fund a restoration project on the Yellow Breeches Creek. More than 68% of seniors gave a total of $7,065.18 to the cause. This makes them the most generous class in College history in both categories of dollar amount and participation! 

The senior gift will be used to build a deflector downstream of Messiah’s beloved covered bridge. The deflector will function as a deterrent for erosion but also as a put-in and take-out spot for water recreation. These efforts are a part of a larger Yellow Breeches Restoration Project directed by David Foster, associate professor of biology and environmental science, and will begin this summer. 

Though erosion of the Breeches’ banks has been an issue for years, this gift couldn’t come at a more convenient time. A record setting rainfall this spring has caused the Breeches to flood more than usual. The overall restoration efforts intend to counteract flooding and other causes of erosion to preserve the Breeches for years to come.

 This is the third year that Messiah’s senior class has raised funds to further a sustainability project either locally or abroad.

You can read more about Foster’s overall plans for the restoration project as described in a recent Swinging Bridge article.

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