2020 Sustainability Leadership Award Winners

Kate Sjovold, '21

Photographed above

Our first award winner was nominated by a peer and has been involved in sustainability in and out of the classroom. According to her nominator, Kate is always ready to explain why her actions matter, inspiring others to take the same care. She looks at each aspect of her life and how the world works and says, "How can I do this better?" and "How can we do more justice for the Earth?" She has worked at Shalom Farms for three summers, supporting efforts to produce high quality, local, sustainable food. Kate also helps with environmental education around sustainable food and farming, and created a zine that can be used as a resource to explain sustainable farming to almost anyone.

This year, she worked on a proposal for a Davis Project for Peace to plant trees in areas most vulnerable to climate change. Just this past semester, she attended the School for Field Studies in Panama to learn more about marine biology and tropical forest conservation, advancing her understanding of the global impacts of climate change and sustainable management of natural resources. On top of all that, Kate has also been a part of the Outdoors Club and Earth Lodge. Congratulations to Kate Sjovold!

Dr. Trey Sutton

Assistant Professor of Management

Our second award winner was nominated by two of his students. According to these students, Trey is an inspiring instructor who helps students carefully consider environmental and sustainability topics and guides them in the direction of optimistic change. Outside the classroom, he lives out his principles as a vegan and an active participant in Richmond outdoors and conservation efforts. Inside the classroom, his sincerity, empathy, humility, intelligence, and commitment to the environment have had a profound impact on his students. While educating students about the sometimes-depressing reality of the natural world today, Trey also invites students into conversations about new and exciting sustainable technologies and shows that economic and environmental concerns do not have to be opposing forces.

This year, students from his Environmental Management class were on all three finalist teams for the Sustainable Solutions Challenge, a clear testament to the relevant course exposure and guidance he provided them with throughout the semester. Congratulations to Trey Sutton!

Andre Eanes, '20

This next award winner was nominated by a classmate and an instructor. According to one of his peers, Andre has shown a consistent commitment to sustainability throughout his time at the University of Richmond. One of his professors says that he is committed, positive, and enthusiastic, exactly the sort of sustainability leader we need on campus and beyond as we work together to face the sustainability challenges in front of us.

Andre's cross cultural efforts and leadership in a Global Sustainability class trip to Chile were exceptional and inspirational as he translated technical GIS instructions and embedded them as subtitles within a video so that Chilean and other Latin American students and faculty could more actively participate in the Climate Change Atlas of the Americas project. He has effectively led Green UR, and engages with sustainability concepts and concerns whenever possible. Congratulations to Andre Eanes!

Nancy Propst

Administrative Coordinator for Geography, Environmental Studies, Global Studies, and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies

Our final award winner was nominated by three colleagues. In her job, Nancy is an amazing team player and waste-conscious administrator. This year, she went beyond the normal demands of her role and demonstrated remarkable leadership by spearheading a project that has engaged people across campus and has prompted many to rethink their actions and behaviors. Her inspirational efforts have demanded tireless networking, planning, and followup. As one colleague put it so well, Nancy saw a problem, saw a way to fix it, and took that step that so many of us find easy to ignore -- she did something about it.

Through the Trex recycling program, she has enabled our campus to recycle hundreds of pounds of plastic bags to earn free recycled plastic benches for the Gambles Mill Eco-Corridor. Congratulations to Nancy Propst!

Thank you to our award winners for everything you've done to support sustainability on campus! Do you know someone who should be featured as a Sustainability Champion? Let us know at sustainability@richmond.edu.