Nearly all higher education institutions in the Northeast have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability, and most have an Office of Sustainability. While each university has its own unique challenges in pursuing environmental progress, many of these offices face similar issues – How do we get students prepared for green careers? What’s the most efficient way to run a move-out donation program?

That’s where the Northeast Campus Sustainability Consortium (NECSC) comes in! The NECSC was established in 2004 to support sustainability officers in advancing progress on university campuses in the northeast and Canadian maritime region. The NECSC is an informal group, but commits to hosting an annual meeting to provide members close networking opportunities, professional development and access to the area’s vibrant sustainability practitioner community. Hosts of the annual gathering are leaders of sustainability in the region.

Following 2024’s annual summit at Southern New Hampshire University, UConn and Connecticut College agreed to co-host the event for 2025. The NECSC conference is also an opportunity to highlight the hosts’ sustainability progress and leadership regionally. UConn’s Avery Point Campus was the perfect location – not only is it a gorgeous waterfront campus, it also plays an outsize role in environmental progress for Connecticut.

In 2021, Avery Point upgraded 121 of their outdoor light fixtures with LED lights which saved 25 tons of carbon dioxide over the course of a year. The Student Center secured LEED Silver Certification in recognition of its energy efficiency in 2023. Avery Point is also home to the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) and Connecticut Sea Grant which act as research hubs for climate resilience, coastal ecosystems, and aquaculture within Long Island Sound. Faculty and students are collaborating with Eversource and Orsted on a $1.25m grant to understand the impact of offshore wind projects on marine habitats, including project Starboard Wind. EcoHusky is the student-run organization that organizes yearly sustainability events for faculty and students including the Earth Day Event, supported by the Office of Sustainability in 2025. EcoHusky was also a part of securing an Environmental and Sustainability Small Grant from the Office of Sustainability in 2022 to install a solar panel and wind turbine on the sailing shed to provide independent, renewable-energy sources for campus buildings. In December of 2024, UConn entered a historical memorandum with CT’s five recognized tribes to establish Avery Point as a Native-American Serving, Nontribal Intuition (NASNTI) to reach at least 10% Native American enrollment and supporting tribal education through academics and community engagement.

Nearly 100 higher education sustainability staff and faculty members attended the NECSC summit, held June 9-11, 2025. Ranging from Maryland to Maine, attendees hailed from Ivies, state universities and private liberal arts schools. The event kicked off with a keynote address by Dr. Annemarie Seifert, Dean of UConn Avery Point, and was followed by engaging sessions on creating circular economies on campus, geothermal buildings, decarbonization communications and more.

Leaders of higher ed’s preeminent sustainability networks provided global perspectives on shifting political landscapes for sustainability. Megan Fay Zahniser, Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and Tim Carter, President of Second Nature, urged attendees to work together and with their home communities to push for continued environmental progress.

Throughout the event, UConn Dining provided excellent food and low-waste catering. Mike White, Executive Director of UConn Dining Services, spoke about their team’s dedication to reducing food waste, using local and organic produce, and UConn’s partnership with Quantum Biopower which converts food scraps into energy. All attendees enjoyed menus featuring cheese from local farms like Cato Corner in Colchester, and greens from Full Moon Farm in Hampton.

The NECSC summit concluded with a marine biology excursion on Long Island Sound. Project Oceanology, a nonprofit marine education and research facility, took guests out on a ship to catch, record, and measure sea life from the sound. They also took the crew up the Thames River for a closer look at the offshore wind assembly pier.

“It is always uplifting to network, share stories, insights, and best practices as we work to collectively make a larger impact on the planet and in the lives of students,” shares Patrick McKee, Director of the UConn Office of Sustainability. “It was a pleasure co-hosting the NECSC Summit at UConn Avery Point, and we look forward to visiting Rutgers in 2026.”

To learn more about NECSC and join the mailing list, click here.

UConn Office of Sustainability Awards Environmental and Social Sustainability Grants to Student-Led Projects

Seven projects will increase environmental and social sustainability at UConn

UConn, consistently one of the top ten most sustainable universities in the United States, will be getting even better at upholding sustainable practices with the help of seven student-led projects this year.

These innovative projects are funded by the Environmental and Social Sustainability Grants (ESSG) Program through the Office of Sustainability. Creative student-faculty teams applied for funding to support campus programs that enhance environmental and social sustainability while engaging students and community members. Applicants shared ideas spanning education, research, authentic community engagement, and campus operations. This is the fourth round of ESSG funding since 2021, which has helped launch the Swap Shop (now Thrift Den), a composting privy at Spring Valley Student Farm, and efforts to combat food insecurity via hydroponic farming.

“The ESSG program is just one of the Office of Sustainability’s growing suite of experiential learning programs available to all UConn students. In alignment with UConn’s strategic goals, we are excited to be able to award these funds to empower students to take action on addressing real-world challenges that impact the wellness of people and the planet. Faculty and staff mentors play an instrumental role in ensuring the success of these projects and we’re also incredibly grateful for their support,” said Patrick McKee, Director of the Office of Sustainability.

Seven projects were awarded funds due to their interdisciplinary nature and ability to advance sustainability and equity.

 

Harnessing Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a key piece in fertilizing crops and producing food. This project aims to explore sustainable, easy ways of getting phosphorus out of wastewater to make it easier, cheaper, and less climate-intensive for farmers to grow food in underprivileged areas.

• • Student: Brenny Alcantara ’27 (CLAS)
  • Staff Mentor: Katie Milardo, Associate Director, Energy & Water Conservation

 

The Grove of Generosity: Sustainable Food Forest for Students

A food forest to create community for people, plants and wildlife on the Storrs campus. Using native plants, this project will provide habitat, food for all, and space to make connections between people and nature.

• • Students: Olivia Ballaro ’26 (CAHNR), Ella May ’27 (CAHNR), Howard Truax ’26 (CAHNR)
  • Faculty Mentor: Phoebe Godfrey, Professor in Residence, Sociology

 

Sustainability Practicum: Designing a UConn Hartford Service-Learning Course

This project will create materials for a UConn Hartford geography service-learning course titled “Sustainability Practicum,” designed to develop student leaders of environmental & social sustainability in collaboration with & in service of Keney Park Sustainability Project, a nonprofit developing sustainable community-based food systems in urban North Hartford.

• • Students: Thomas Bonitz, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography
  • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carol Atkinson-Palombo, Professor in Geography

 

Project Racoon

Project Raccoon is a student-led initiative that collects redeemable bottles and cans to reduce waste, increase recycling, and fund student scholarships. With this grant, we will expand to over 50+ bins and engage more volunteers.

• • Student: Abigail Koval ’26 (BUS), Anny Zheng ’26 (COE), Jennifer Weng ’26 (COE), Virginia Weng ’26 (COE)
  • Staff Mentor: Cody Ryan, Innovation Zone Supervisor

 

Seeds2Sustain: Hartford & Stamford Campuses

Seeds2Sustain is a program designed to help students address food insecurity on a personal level by using hydroponics. Over 9 weeks, students are taught about the evolution of food production, food insecurity, hydroponics, nutrition, cooking and more to gain a solid foundation of knowledge.

• • Students: Lucy Ledesma ‘26 (BUS, COE), Audrey Larson ‘25 (COE)
  • Faculty Mentor: Johnathan Moore, Executive Director, Digital Frontiers Initiative, Director of OPIM Innovate Labs 

 

Disasters in Society: Working Towards Resilient & Sustainable Futures through Experiential Learning & Service

Our project captures Asheville’s recovery from Hurricane Helene, highlighting student engagement and hands-on learning in disaster resilience. Through storytelling and service, we aim to expand access to fieldwork and promote support for sustainability-focused education.

• • Students: Lisel Nee ’26 (COE), Melia Marshall, MPP Candidate, Daniel Kraemer, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography, Brandon Soto, Masters of Energy and Environmental Management Candidate 
  • Faculty Mentor: Dr. Carol Atkinson-Palombo, Professor in Geography

 

Sustainable Dairy Wastewater Treatment Using Microalgae at UConn

This project addresses the challenge of dairy wastewater from the UConn barns, which can be a significant source of pollution if not properly managed. By using microalgae to treat wastewater, we can convert it into a sustainable biomass that can be used as poultry feed. This approach not only helps clean and recycle wastewater but also aligns with circular bioeconomy principles, turning waste into valuable resources. This initiative advances UConn’s environmental goals and contributes to a more sustainable campus ecosystem.

• • Students: Azeem Sarwar ’27 (COE), Syed Zahid Ahmad, Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering
  • Faculty Mentors: Dr. Yu Lei, Professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Dr. Yongku Cho, Associate Professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

 

Over $37,000 will be awarded in total to support these student-lead projects.

Thomas Bonitz, a grantee pursuing a Ph.D. in Geography says, “As an aspiring educator, I am thrilled to work on designing a “sustainability practicum” course for the UConn Hartford campus. There is obvious educational and community value getting students out of the traditional classroom setting to learn from and contribute to real-world efforts to practice sustainability.” His project exemplifies UConn’s dedication to promoting student success and providing service to Connecticut communities.

“I look forward to moving onto the next stage for my Harnessing Phosphorus project and being able to work with more resources. I’ve been working on this project independently since my first semester at UConn, so receiving this grant and finding support from new mentors is a reminder of how far I’ve come. It’s great to see the University also believes in my project’s potential,” shares Brenny Alcantara ’27 (CLAS) who will be working on ways to make fertilizer more accessible, less likely to cause algae blooms, and decrease the carbon footprint of a critical agricultural ingredient.

Students will present their project findings and impacts this fall at the Climate Change Cafe poster symposium in December.

For more details on the Environmental and Social Sustainability Small Grants Program, please visit: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/environmental-social-sustainability-small-grants-program/ 

If you’re inspired by these students and their positive impact, please donate to the Campus Sustainability Fund to support future grantees.