sustainability

Randolph president signs President’s Resilience Commitment for climate action

President Bradley W. Bateman signs the President's Resilience Commitment organized by Second Nature. Standing are (from left) Rick Barnes, professor of psychology and environmental studies and the Mary Sabel Girard Chair in Psychology; Sarah Sojka, professor of physics and environmental studies; Sara Woodward '16, sustainability coordinator; Michael Maningas, assistant dean of students; and Karin Warren, Herzog Family Chair of Environmental Studies.

Today, Randolph College strengthened its commitment to environmental sustainability when President Bradley W. Bateman signed the President’s Resilience Commitment. The document, organized by the nonprofit Second Nature, pledges that Randolph will develop a plan for climate resiliency. Per the agreement, the College will incorporate a joint campus-community task force and submit an annual review of... READ MORE >>

Grant will fund new energy conservation technology at Randolph

Randolph College Banner

Randolph College has been awarded a Phase 1 Energy Conservation grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The 2:1 matching grant of $30,666 will go toward improvements that will reduce the College’s overall energy consumption. Specifically, the grant funds will assist the College in installing three new sub-meters, relocating two existing sub-meters, updating the sub-metering... READ MORE >>

Randolph residence hall receives LEED certification

Wright Hall

Wright Hall is the first building on the Randolph campus to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The 108-year-old residence hall underwent major renovations last year, including the installation of a new HVAC system, an elevator, new furniture, new laundry rooms, and remodeled restrooms. Specific improvements were... READ MORE >>

Sierra Club names Randolph a ‘Cool School’ for 2016

Randolph students are highly involved in the College's sustainable practices. Pictured is a workshop on strawbale construction led by Jessy Spencer '17 this summer.

Randolph is one of 201 higher education institutions across the nation to be named a “2016 Cool School” by the Sierra Club. Only three other Virginia schools earned the honor. Participation in Sierra magazine’s Cool Schools ranking is open to all four-year, degree-granting undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States. Sierra scores participating schools based on... READ MORE >>

Randolph student participates in national climate science research

Allison Brooks '18

This summer, environmental science major Allison Brooks ’18 was one of 13 students from across the nation selected to participate in Penn State University’s Climate Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). During the 10-week program, Brooks put her chemistry and environmental science knowledge to the test in the... READ MORE >>

Tiny house project building momentum

Jessy Spencer ’18 oversees the construction of a straw bale bench made at a workshop last week.

Tiny houses were a big topic of discussion at Randolph last year, thanks to a project that researched the ins and outs of constructing one on campus. This summer, Jessy Spencer ’18 is building off that momentum—literally. Spencer is working on a Summer Research project with Karin Warren, the Herzog Family Chair of Environmental Studies,... READ MORE >>

2016 graduate joins Randolph staff as sustainability coordinator

Sara Woodward '16 holds a chicken at last year's Involvement Fair.

When Sara Woodward ’16 left the Red Brick Wall after graduation in May, she didn’t go far. The environmental science major was recently hired as the College’s sustainability coordinator and assistant to the director of the Department of Buildings & Grounds. “I feel truly honored to work alongside the passionate faculty and staff here,” Woodward... READ MORE >>

Randolph certified as Virginia’s first Bee Campus USA affiliate

Bee campus logo

Bee Campus USA has announced that Randolph College is the ninth educational institution in the nation and the first in Virginia to be certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strengths of educational campuses for the benefit of pollinators. The Bee Campus USA designation recognizes educational campuses that... READ MORE >>

Randolph students take part in Virginia Power Dialog

Randolph's student delegation to the Virginia Power Dialog with Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Director David Paylor.

Four Randolph College environmental studies students recently discussed global warming with state regulators, officials, and peers from other institutions at the Virginia Power Dialog in Richmond. The event, held Friday, April 8, at the University of Richmond, is one of a number of statewide dialogs being coordinated by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy. The... READ MORE >>

Randolph pledges to join White House in combating climate change

Banner of seal

At a ceremony today in Washington, D.C., White House officials announced a collaboration with Randolph College and more than 600 other higher education institutions across the nation to take action against climate change. The White House American Campuses Act on Climate announcement coincides with a roundtable at the White House that is bringing together several... READ MORE >>