St. Lawrence University Makes The Princeton Review's Green Colleges Guide

CANTON, NY, April 23, 2014 (Press-News.org) St. Lawrence University was named one of the 332 most environmentally responsible colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Princeton Review.

Featured in the "Guide to 332 Green Colleges: 2014 Edition," The Princeton Review selected St. Lawrence based on a 2013 survey of administrators at hundreds of four-year colleges to measure schools' commitment to the environment and sustainability. The institutional survey included questions on course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.

"From new buildings being constructed to meet LEED Silver standards to an environmental literacy component in our curriculum to a bike-sharing program, St. Lawrence acts on its deep commitment to practices of environmental sustainability," said President William L. Fox '75. "We're positively delighted to be among the green colleges. Green is the other school color at St. Lawrence."

The education services company, known for its test prep programs and college rankings, created its "Guide to 332 Green Colleges" in partnership with the Center for Green Schools (www.usgbc.org) at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

In its profile on St. Lawrence, the guide highlights the school's "numerous sustainability initiatives," including its new Sustainability Semester, "where students live off campus at a nearby farmstead, are exposed to environmental problems and solutions, and are guaranteed a paid internship in a sustainability-related field."

"With a pioneering environmental studies department, majors in conservation biology and environmental chemistry, and a commitment to experiential learning, I'm pleased to see that The Princeton Review has recognized our achievements by highlighting us in their Green Guide," said Louise Gava, assistant director of the Sustainability Semester and sustainability coordinator. "Our faculty and staff make sustainability work on the campus and in the community as part of the educational process. And our students practice their skills as change agents, as they work to reduce single-use plastic water bottles on campus, provide nutritious-often locally sourced-meals for our community and organize meetings off-campus for the local chapter of a national environmental group working toward climate change solutions."

The 2013 survey asked administrators at hundreds of colleges across the U.S. and Canada about their institution's sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs. Using survey data that covered more than 25 fields, The Princeton Review tallied its "Green Ratings" (scores from 60 to 99) for 832 schools and reported them in the school profiles on the Company's website and in its college guides in summer 2013. The 332 schools in this guide received scores of 83 or above in that assessment.

The 216-page guide can be downloaded at http://www.princetonreview.com/green-guide and http://www.centerforgreenschools.org/greenguide.

"We are pleased to recommend St. Lawrence University to the many students seeking colleges that practice and promote environmentally-responsible choices and practices," said Rob Franek, senior vice president/publisher of The Princeton Review.

Founded in 1856, St. Lawrence University is a private, independent liberal arts institution of about 2,400 students located in Canton, N.Y. The educational opportunities at St. Lawrence inspire students and prepare them to be critical and creative thinkers, to find a compass for their lives and careers, and to pursue knowledge and understanding for the benefit of themselves, humanity and the planet. Through its focus on active engagement with ideas in and beyond the classroom, a St. Lawrence education leads students to make connections that transform lives and communities, from the local to the global. Visit http://www.stlawu.edu.