EUGENE, Ore.—Lane Community College President Mary Spilde will receive the U.S. Green Building Council's 2013 Center for Green Schools President's Award for a two-year institution at the council's conference on Nov. 21 in Philadelphia.
The award recognizes Spilde's "exemplary and bold leadership on your campus, in your community and among your peers," wrote S. Richard "Rick" Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, in a letter to Spilde. "The work you have been doing at Lane Community College to advance sustainability in the curriculum and prepare students for sustainable careers is critical to fostering a new generation of leaders."
President Spilde said, "I feel very fortunate to represent the exemplary sustainability work that is going on at Lane. Our achievements reflect the passion and effort of many faculty, staff and students throughout the years. I am honored to receive this award on their behalf."
Spilde is nationally and locally recognized as a visionary and decisive force behind the advancement of sustainability. She has served on national boards committed to sustainability including the Sustainability Task Force of the American Association of Community Colleges, and the Steering Committee of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. She has published numerous articles on the topic and co-edited the League for Innovation in the Community College publication, "The Sustainable Community College: Holistic Approaches to Sustainability." She is a national presenter and spokesperson on sustainability in education.
Since Spilde became president at Lane in 2001, the college has constructed exemplary "green" buildings including the LEED Gold certified Health and Wellness Building on main campus and the LEED Platinum pending Downtown Center at 10th and Olive and the adjacent LEED Gold pending Titan Court student apartment building. Sustainability is a core value at Lane and is infused throughout college operations and curriculum. Detailed information is available online at http://www.lanecc.edu/sustainability.
The USGBC Greenbuild International Conference is the largest gathering of green building professionals in the U.S. More than 30,000 attendees are expected.
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