2008 CC Sustainability Award Winners

The winners of the 2007-08 Sustainability Awards are David Amster, Katie Eberle, Laura Parker, Howard Drossman, and Tom Nycum. The CC Sustainability Awards annually recognize contributions that members of the CC community make to the campus, local, regional, or global environment.

Entrepreneurial Energy Award

David Amster-Olszewski, '09

David has strongly promoted the use of solar technology on the Colorado College campus. He has recently negotiated and coordinated the 25kw solar installation on top of the Edith Gaylord Apartments (CC’s first solar installation). These efforts will raise student awareness at CC regarding this important alternative energy. David continues to urge the school to develop more renewable energy sources and leads Energizing Colorado Springs, a student group that retrofits residential houses to use less energy.

Innovative Leadership Award

Katie Eberle, '08

Katie’s leadership in EnAct and promoting the Green Round Table has focused student dialogue on environmental issues and forged partnerships across the CC community. Her thesis work regarding green building guidelines for the school has integrated sustainability into policy regarding CC’s built environment. Katie sits on the Campus Sustainability Council, continually providing innovative solutions and insight to the council.

Transformative Educator Award

Laura Parker, '08

Laura has been leading and educating the Colorado College Campus on issues of sustainability for four years now. She has accomplished this through her leadership in EnAct, coordinating Sacred Grounds, working heavily with the CC farm club, and bringing food issues to campus through food-chained. She is currently working with the on-going food bid to ensure issues of local and organic food be integrated into the food system at CC.

Guiding Spirit Award

Howard Drossman, Professor of Environmental Science

If sustainability at CC has a guru – it must be Howard. The recent greening of CC has been extraordinary, but Howard has been there through thick and thin. He has demonstrated unwavering leadership as the current Campus Sustainability Council Co-chair and has provided oversight to the current Brendle campus environmental inventory and sustainability plan. Howard is also currently involved in an educational solar system project that will be tied in with the curriculum.

Sustainable Social Change Award

Tom Nycum, Vice President for Business and Finance

One doesn’t often find a Vice President for Business and Finance hailed as a leader in environmental social change, but Tom is not your average business professional. Bringing together his engineering background, financial acumen and commitment to make CC a better place, Tom is forging a path for CC to become partners in inventive, large scale renewable wind and solar energy projects. While Tom is retiring from CC this year, his legacy will be with us a very long time.

The awards come with a cash prize and a celebratory dinner with all the winners.