Boston event recognizes WMU climate leadership status

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Two high-profile national sustainability awards Western Michigan University won earlier this year were awarded to a team led by WMU President John M. Dunn during a fall event in Boston.

Climate Leadership Award

WMU received the 2014 Climate Leadership Award from Second Nature, the support organization of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. Just two research universities were among the six institutions that received the award that recognizes campus innovation and leadership in the realm of sustainability.

The University also took home the award for producing a top-notch video to document sustainability achievements on campus. Videos produced by the 20 nominees in all categories for the Climate Leadership Award were submitted for popular vote by viewers around the nation. The WMU video took top honors, garnering nearly 9,000 votes. The Climate Leadership Award recipients and the winner of the video competition were both announced in June.

Traveling with Dunn to the Boston event to accept the awards were Dr. Harold Glasser, executive director for campus sustainability; Dr. Paul Pancella, professor of physics; and Chris Caprara, energy reduction manager in facilities management.

Presidential Summit on Climate Leadership

The awards were made as more than 250 higher education leaders from more than 100 college and university campuses across the United States met in Boston for the 2014 Presidential Summit on Climate Leadership. Attendees, most of whom are signatories of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment discussed ways to strengthen climate action and sustainability initiatives at their institutions, as well as higher education's leadership role in developing strategic responses to climate and sustainability challenges in community, regional, and national contexts. 

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