Awards, Grants, and Recognition

CSUSM continues to be a leader in sustainability in California and nationally!  We have received awards and recognition for our academic programs, operations, co-curricular efforts, and overall sustainability work. These awards and recognition are a testament to the hard work and dedication our students, staff, and faculty contribute towards ensuring a more just and sustainable world.  

• Awards
  • 2023: CHEC Focus on Efficiency Award. The California Higher Education Collaborative (CHEC) also awarded CSUSM a Focus on Efficiency Award for our Zero Waste Donation Pick Up Form. This award highlights innovative practices and process improvements implemented within the California Public Higher Education system. Through our innovative yet simple Smartsheet form we have been able to find much success in diverting waste and getting usable materials distributed across campus.
  • 2023: GCSHES Leadership Award. In October of 2023, the Green California Schools & Higher Education Summit granted CSUSM a Leadership Award for our contribution and efforts to sustainability, specifically for our new Zero Waste Donation Pick Up Form. This form was created to streamline the process for diverting usable office supplies and materials and getting them into the hands of students, staff, and faculty. Through this effort we have completed over 170 donation pick-up requests and have diverted over 6,000 pounds from going into the landfill since March 2022.
  • 2023: American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Excellence & Innovation Award for Sustainability and Sustainable Development--Comprehensive. The Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience initiative.

  • 2022: The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Annual Awards: Campus Sustainability Achievement Award Winners: California State University campuses at Chico, Monterey Bay, San Marcos, Stanislaus, Cal Poly Humboldt, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as well as Strategic Energy Innovations, partnered on a multi-campus faculty learning community consisting of 62 faculty representing over 30 disciplines. At the time of submission, the CSU Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience resulted in over 75 classes being redesigned to include greater engagement of climate change and resilience.

  • 2021:  CSUSM University Library Award Winner:  Melissa Reyes (Environmental Justice Intern) wins CSUSM University Library Award for her research in “Social Justice Through Sustainability: Acknowledging Students of Environmentally Discriminated Areas Through Sustainable Efforts on Campus”
  • 2020: California Higher Education Sustainability Conference Best Practice Award for Social Equity and Justice:  Sustainable Menstruation: Making Periods Zero Waste and Accessible to All 
  • 2019-2020:  CSUSM President’s Student Champion Award for Inclusive Excellence and Diversity: Megan Hammerschmidt (Graduated 2020), Environmental Justice Intern 
  • 2019:  California Higher Education Sustainability Conference Best Practice Award for Social Equity and Justice: Environmental Justice Internship Program 
  • 2018-2019: CSUSM President’s Award for Inclusive Excellence and Diversity: Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, Sustainability Manager  
  • 2018:  EMIES, San Diego Food System Alliance- Un Wasted Food Award 
  • 2016:  National Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association:  Innovation of Merit:  Implementation of our Ingenium Emerald Energy Sustainability Program 
  • 2016: California Higher Education Best Practice Award:  Sustainability In Academics- Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: Sustainability Experienced Through Interactive Design, Professor Lucy H.G. Solomon  
  • 2014: California Higher Education Sustainability Conference Best Practice Award: Energy Retrofit Project  
  • 2014: California Higher Education Sustainability Conference Best Practice Award: Water Conservation 
  • 2014: California Higher Education Sustainability Conference Best Practice Award: Waste Diversion 
  • 2014: California Higher Education Sustainability Conference Best Practice Award in Academics: Community Ethnobotany Garden, Professor Bonnie Bade 
  • 2013: Recyclemania: National Winner: Per Capita Classic  
  • 2011: Recyclemania: Grand Champion 
  • 2010:  San Diego Excellence in Energy (SANDEE) Award: Achievement in Energy by a Government or Institutional Agency Award 
  • 2010: Recyclemania: Grand Champion 
  • 2009: Recyclemania:  Grand Champion 
  • 2008: Flex Your Power Award:  Demand Response Category:  Reducing energy and decreasing carbon emissions in California 
  • 2007: Recyclemania: Grand Champion 
  • 2006: Recyclemania:  Grand Champion 
  • 2005: Recyclemania: National Winner: Recycling Rate Category 
• Grants and Donations

  2023: $20,000 grant for our “Planet Change Makers” grant from Wells Fargo Foundation. In collaboration with Professor Lucy H.G. Solomon, Ariel Stevenson (OIE) and Juliana Goodlaw-Morris (SHS)

  2022: $1,021 for Giving Day Donations

  2021: $25,000 grant for our “Growing Future Change Makers: Restorative Pathways for Diverse Students and the Planet”- Collaborative grant between Professor Lucy H.G. Solomon, Ariel Stevenson (OIE) and Juliana Goodlaw-Morris (SHS) 

  2021: $1,015 for Giving Day Donations 

  2020: $1,455 for Giving Day Donations  

  2018: $3,000 grant for our Sustainable Food Project Garden fencing project through the CSU Basic Needs Grant- In collaboration with Professors Greig Guthey and Gabriel Valle 

  2018: $17,000 grant for Bringing the Stormwater Management Program to Live in a Classroom Environment – In collaboration with Dr. Karno Ng in the Chemistry Department 

  2016: $25,000 grant titled Data Visualization: Connecting Students to the Campus and Their Environment with Art and Technology – in collaboration with School of Arts, Professor Lucy H.G. Solomon  

  2015: $20,000 grant titled Raising a Mixed-Use Greenhouse: Connecting Students, Facilities, Courses and Research in collaboration with Dr. Tracey Brown in the Biology department.  

  2015: $10,000 grant titled Developing and Reporting Sustainable University Business Practices Course Redesign- in collaboration with College of Business Administration (COBA) faculty member, Dr. Catalin Ratiu  

• Recognition
  • 2024: Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS): Gold Rating and Tree Campus USA Certification  
  • 2021:  Sierra Club Cool Schools Ranking:  CSUSM Ranks 97^th in the nation 
  • 2020:  Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS):  Gold Rating 
  • 2019:  Sierra Club Cool Schools Ranking:  CSUSM Ranks 211^th in the nation 
  • 2017:  Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS): Silver Rating   
• United States Green Building Council: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Sustainable Buildings

  LEED Gold Buildings:  

  • Public Safety Building 
  • University Student Union 
  • Student Health and Counseling
    
    

  LEED Silver Buildings:  

  • Social and Behavioral Sciences Building
  • Sports Center  

Points of Pride