Emily Clear, a first-year student from Stamford, Connecticut, majoring in nursing spends her extra time giving back to the community. Aside from being a hospital relations committee member for QTHON, Quinnipiac University’s Dance Marathon, she also plays a role in caring for the environment.
Clear, is also a member of the environmental sustainability Living Learning Community (LLC) . She says, “being involved in The Grove means being surrounded by individuals with the same passion and drive to make a difference.” Clear worked with individuals to propose a garden bed filled with plants on campus. She focused on researching plants that would best suit the space. Clear is looking forward to seeing these “projects expand and progress in the upcoming years.” Clear adds that it was a “rewarding experience”.
Clear is talking about her time as a first year in The Grove, Quinnipiac University’s newest Residence Hall. The Grove, which opened in 2024, launched an immersive curricular experience where students are divided up into themes, one of them being environmental sustainability. Members of the LLC are tasked with participating in a project that enhances skills and creativity.
Clear is not alone in her community efforts. This year, six Community Experiential Learning Project (CELP) were completed by the LLC members. First year students are enrolled in a first-year seminar class in the fall semester relating to their topic. This year’s class being “Music Affects/ Influences Us.” The class met every Tuesday and Thursday, at 2:00p.m. Addison Egan, a first-year member says one of her takeaways from class is how “music can sometimes increase the growing speed of some plants.” In addition, students are required to attend biweekly planning project meetings to carry out their initiative during the spring.
Gavin Gigante, also a first-year member, participated in organizing a campus clean up. He and about ten others “figured out materials, funding and data, advertisements and a sign up.” Egan mentioned nearly 30 people were in attendance and the focus of the clean-up was on creeks and wooded areas as they are dirtier. The cleanup happened on April 13. Egan says her group landed on a campus cleanup because “it helps the community and met their requirements”.
Shawn Haber adds “what better way to promote sustainability than to keep our environment clean so nature cannot be interrupted by college students”. Egan says it was a lot of fun and professor Sean Duffy suggests the clean-up became an annual event.
Duffy is the LLC’s faculty advisor, executive director at the Albert Schweitzer Institute, and a professor of political science and environmental studies. He also acts as a co-chair on the University Sustainability Implementation Committee.
Duffy shared the details of these projects. The projects done this year were a campus clean-up, a proposal for a hydroponics system to be installed in the greenhouse that will be part of the new SITE (South Quad academic building) which will allow for the growth of food learning more about methods of local food production, planning of a garden bed installation, proposal for planting more trees around campus, investigating ways to reduce the use of single-use plastic on campus, and a proposal to install more of the hydration stations on campus, generated content for the qusustainability Instagram account, to encourage more sustainable behavior and advance sustainability knowledge on campus.
The campus clean-up was sponsored by the PepsiCo Foundation. Egan says they submitted an application online and received funding for supplies such as bags, gloves, and food. Duffy also shared about the Pepsi Co Sustainability Fund, saying “they gave us a huge amount of money that gives funds every year that’s used to support student led projects to advance sustainability on campus.” They were given funds for 10 years. With about 8 years left Duffy reminds students that “it’s a big resource being provided”.
Chris Novealinno served as a mentor in the program. Novealinno explains the LLC means “creating a safe atmosphere and having the opportunity to be around those that think the same”.
Duffy hopes “students will feel empowered from their experience in The Grove and will take the skills and experience they shared to whatever fields of study, activity, and engagement they develop going forward.”
Duffy’s approach to sustainability is “it’s better to do something than not that you actually can actually make you feel better if you’re trying to do something about the world”. He explains that “every small bit helps.”
Quinnipiac University’s new South Quad will feature Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings. In addition, Quinnipiac has a bronze level rating according to The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). The Environmental Sustainability LLC, Quinnipiac Administration and beyond are contributing to sustainability across campus.
It is not just The Grove looking into the environment and sustainability. Kevin Redline, the Scholarly Communications, Research and Instruction Library and STEM liaison explained that during Earth Day on April 22nd, several earth day themed crafts were available in the Arnold Bernhard Library as well as, earth day themed stickers and a cake. The library also participated in the Earth Day Fair. He talks about how the process of creating a well-established library includes recycling unused books or putting things in storage and providing up to date information. He welcomes students to utilize the library as it is there to help “students pursue their curiosities”.
The Students for Environmental Action club, also known as QU SEA, co- hosted an annual Earth Day Fair on April 23rd on the Quad in addition to activities and events throughout the week of April 21st. There were paintings and crafts, information and student organizations, smoothies, food trucks, and raffles. The mission of QU SEA is “a student organization at Quinnipiac University dedicated to environmental sustainability and justice”, per their Instagram bio qu_sea_.
In celebration of Arbor Day, the university opened its Tree Campus Walk which can be found on its Mt. Carmel campus. As explained in an Instagram post, the route showcases native tree species and exhibits the commitment to sustainable campus forestry.
In addition to these environmental activities, The Grove is continuing to grow. The Grove will welcome a new group of students coming in the fall with a few mentors who will guide the way.
