East Carolina University’s Sustainability Award

Objective:

The Sustainability Award recognizes a member of the ECU staff or faculty or a team of staff and/or faculty who have demonstrated their commitment to and leadership in campus sustainability. Sustainability efforts advance our Future Focused, Innovation Driven Strategic Plan by contributing to the University’s Mission and Vision priorities. Nominees for this award contribute to campus sustainability and help the University reduce environmental impacts through academics, operations, or engagement related sustainability activities.

Nomination Deadline and Form Link

Deadline: Sunday, March 1, 2026 by 11:59pm

Sustainability Award Nomination Form

Awards Per Year:

One award will be awarded annually. The award will be recognized with a plaque and will be included in the annual University Service Awards.

Eligibility:

The Sustainability Award is only open to current ECU faculty, staff, or teams of faculty and/or staff – students are not eligible for this award. Ineligible nominees are those whose position description is focused on sustainability efforts (e.g. University Sustainability Manager, Sustainability Outreach Specialist, etc.).

Staff Nominees:

Nominees for this category are staff members who have made significant contributions to the University through outstanding actions, contributions, and leadership in sustainability at ECU. They incorporate sustainable practices into their work and through direct leadership, or by example, they inspire others to consider the environmental implications of their actions. Their efforts contribute to campus sustainability and help the University reduce environmental impacts through energy and water conservation, waste reduction and recycling, improving campus grounds, promoting alternative or active transportation, supporting sustainable food and dining, and more.

Faculty Nominees:

Nominees for this category are faculty members who have made significant contributions to the University through outstanding actions, contributions, and leadership in sustainability at ECU. Through their research, course content, or green teaching practices, they incorporate sustainability and exemplify sustainable behaviors. These faculty members inspire others to consider the environmental implications of their actions. Their efforts contribute to campus sustainability and help raise awareness about sustainability challenges and solutions.

Team Nominees:

Nominees for this category are a group of staff and/or faculty members who have made significant contributions to the University through outstanding actions, contributions, and leadership in sustainability at ECU. They incorporate sustainable practices into their work and through direct leadership, or by example, they inspire others to consider the environmental implications of their actions. Their efforts contribute to campus sustainability and help ECU reduce environmental impacts through energy and water conservation, waste reduction and recycling, improving campus grounds, promoting alternative or active transportation, supporting sustainable food and dining, and more.

Nomination procedures and guidelines:

Nominations can be made by:

  1. Any ECU student, staff or faculty member
  2. Self-nominations will not be considered

Nominations should include enough information for the selection committee to understand the full scope of a nominee’s achievements. Effort will be made to recognize winners that represent the broad diversity of the University, such as identifying awardees across all campuses, as well as staff and faculty members. The nomination letter cannot exceed 5,000 characters (including spaces).

Nomination letters should:

  1. Include a description of the nominee’s commitment to and leadership in campus sustainability
  2.  Provide examples of:
    a. how the nominee fosters a culture of sustainability, inspiring and educating others to assess the environmental impact of their actions
    b. the nominee’s role in encouraging or enabling the use of campus and community as a living, learning laboratory for sustainability
    c. challenges the nominee successfully navigated in advancing sustainability efforts
    d. any resources were available or utilized by the nominee to advance sustainability
  3. Describe how the nominee’s sustainability efforts advance our ECU strategic plan:
    a. the Mission Priorities of the ECU Strategic Plan: Student Success, Public Service, Regional Transformation
    b. the Vision Priorities of the ECU Strategic Plan: Social and Economic Mobility, Workforce Success, Rural Health and Well-Being
  4. Outline the impact of the nominee’s work on the University’s STARS Rating, which is the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System