Utah State University's Sustainability Council closed the year with its first awards ceremony on Wednesday. The reception, which was held in the Center and West Colony Room of the Taggart Student Center, celebrated the achievements of students, faculty and employees for their efforts in creating a more sustainable community.
Kate Stephens, the program director of the Student Sustainability Office, thought the event was excellent. "It was a time where we could honor and recognize people on our campus who have been champions of sustainability," Stephens said.
USU President Stan Albrecht attended the reception and gave a brief message on the positive shift in attitude he has seen towards sustainability throughout the years. He also congratulated the award recipients and thanked them for their high achievements in improving the university.
Awards were given to Edwin Stafford, a professor of management at USU; Corey Cozzens, the university's catering sous chef; Jacoby Knight, the SSO's energy intern; McKenna Lee, an engineering student; Liz Sodja, the marketing vice president of the Quinney College of Natural Resources; and the USU Swing Club.
Recipients of the large Blue Goes Green grants were also announced at the event.
"It was really good to celebrate my colleagues," said Viviane Baji, the SSO's campus waste intern. "Their efforts in making our campus more sustainable needed to be acknowledged and I'm glad we've had such a fun opportunity to do that."
According to Stephens, this awards ceremony will be the first of many annual sustainability symposiums at USU.
