Previous Events & Past Programs
Best Practices in Message Design
This session will introduce key message design principles (think: mini-art school) and best practices for translating and sharing your institution's sustainability information across multiple platforms and media. Hosted by: Jes Thompson, Assistant Vice President for Sustainability at Northern Michigan University
This is part 2 of a three-part Strategic Communicators CoLab designed for students, staff, and faculty interested in or already involved in sustainability communications roles. The goal of the CoLab is to help these individuals learn communications strategies, share ideas, and build a network of strategic communicators. Individuals are welcome to attend all three sessions, just one, or any combination.
Campus Outreach; What Strategies Will You Use?
This interactive workshop will help you to identify different strategies for engaging a wide variety of audiences on your campus using some simple strategic change-making tools. It will also give you a chance to gather new outreach ideas from other students, staff and faculty. The workshop will be led by Megan Voorhees, UMACS Executive Director. Please bring a large blank sheet of paper and pen (or ideally some markers!) or have access to a white board and markers.
This is part 1 of a three-part Strategic Communicators CoLab designed for students, staff, and faculty interested in or already involved in sustainability communications roles. The goal of the CoLab is to help these individuals learn communications strategies, share ideas, and build a network of strategic communicators. Individuals are welcome to attend all three sessions, just one, or any combination.
Emergent Strategy Discussion
Join us for a virtual book discussion on Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown. "This guidebook focuses on getting in a right relationship with change, using our own nature and that of creatures beyong humans as our teachers."
Sea of Grass Book Discussion
Join us on Monday, July 20th from 3-4pm CST for a virtual book discussion on Sea of Grass: The Conquest, Ruin, and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie. Authors, David Hage and Josephine Marcotty will be joining us for our discussion.
UMACS Sustainability Career Panel
Join us on Friday, April 10, 2026 from 4-5pm CST to learn from a panel of alumni from UMACS Campuses who are now working in Sustainability careers. Organize a watch party with your friends and start the weekend in community while getting inspired about how you can launch your own sustainability career.
Panelists include:
Panelists include:
- Talitha Anderson, Sustainability Project Coordinator/Morris Model Coordinator, City of Morris (UMN Twin Cities alum
- Elisa Guerrero, Community Engagement Manager, UMass Boston Sustainable Solutions Lab and Stone Living Lab (UW Madison alum)
- Chandra Her, Senior Policy Specialist, Env. and Energy Dept, Hennepin County (UMN alum)
- Thomas Huberty, Strategic Energy Solutions Executive, EcoSave (UST alum)
- Casey Leisgang, Senior Sustainability Manager, Plexus Corporation (UW Eau Claire Alum)
UMACS Sustainability Career Panel
Join us for a Sustainability Career Panel on Friday, March 7, 2025 from 2:30 - 3:30 pm CST to learn from working professionals about their career paths!
Panelists include:
Panelists include:
- Sergio Romero, Sustainability Research Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Alexandra Sherf, Sustainability Program Coordinator at RMF Engineering
- Elizabeth Arnold, IRA Specialist - Solar at RES
- Thu Nguyen, Building Performance Analyst at DLR Group
UMACS Student Energy Session
Are you a student interested in the energy transition and/or energy democracy?
(green labs, fossil fuel divestment, energy efficiency, renewables, etc)
Join us for an all-student session on Tuesday, February 25 from 5:30-7:00 pm CST to come together and learn, share what you are doing on your campus around energy, and network with each other.
(green labs, fossil fuel divestment, energy efficiency, renewables, etc)
Join us for an all-student session on Tuesday, February 25 from 5:30-7:00 pm CST to come together and learn, share what you are doing on your campus around energy, and network with each other.
Professional Development Meetings for Higher Education Sustainability Leaders
June 25-June 26, 2024 CST
Michigan Technological University Houghton, Michigan
June 25-June 26, 2024 CST
Michigan Technological University Houghton, Michigan
Meet in-person with sustainability leaders from local colleges and universities to network, share about your work and find inspiration for your future sustainability efforts. Retreats will include a campus tour of sustainability initiatives, and opportunities to talk about topics that matter to you with other sustainability champions. Students, staff and faculty are welcome to join us! Please plan to pay for your own lunch.
Professional Development Meetings for Higher Education Sustainability Leaders
May 30, 2024 10am - 3pm CST
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire - Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Meet in-person with sustainability leaders from local colleges and universities to network, share about your work and find inspiration for your future sustainability efforts. Retreats will include a campus tour of sustainability initiatives, and opportunities to talk about topics that matter to you with other sustainability champions. Students, staff and faculty are welcome to join us! Please plan to pay for your own lunch.
Student Green Fees:
Is it Time for Your Campus to Have One?
Tuesday, April 2, 6:00-7:00 PM CST
Many campuses now have a "green fee" in which students pay a small fee each year to help enhance sustainability efforts on campus. Want to learn what other campuses have done to get these fees approved and how the funds are used? Speakers from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of South Dakota and Augsburg University will share about their campuses success and struggles with starting these funds. Please join us to share about any green fees your campus has, and to strategize on how you might start/increase these funds on your campus. This event is primarily for students, but anyone is welcome.
Is it Time for Your Campus to Have One?
Tuesday, April 2, 6:00-7:00 PM CST
Many campuses now have a "green fee" in which students pay a small fee each year to help enhance sustainability efforts on campus. Want to learn what other campuses have done to get these fees approved and how the funds are used? Speakers from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, University of South Dakota and Augsburg University will share about their campuses success and struggles with starting these funds. Please join us to share about any green fees your campus has, and to strategize on how you might start/increase these funds on your campus. This event is primarily for students, but anyone is welcome.
UMACS Energy Roundtable
Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CDT Topic: Solar Energy
Join this virtual roundtable for discussion about energy projects on your campus: past, present, or future! Sharing your campus' experience with solar, wind, geothermal, etc. projects can help empower other campuses to be powered more sustainably and avoid energy project pitfalls.
Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CDT Topic: Solar Energy
Join this virtual roundtable for discussion about energy projects on your campus: past, present, or future! Sharing your campus' experience with solar, wind, geothermal, etc. projects can help empower other campuses to be powered more sustainably and avoid energy project pitfalls.
Info Session: Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus Higher Education Program
Tuesday March 12, 11:00-12:00 CST
Curious about what it takes to become a Tree Campus? Join us to learn from currently recognized Tree Campuses and their journey to recognition, their inspiring success stories, and the challenges they’ve overcome along the way. Speakers will include:
Tuesday March 12, 11:00-12:00 CST
Curious about what it takes to become a Tree Campus? Join us to learn from currently recognized Tree Campuses and their journey to recognition, their inspiring success stories, and the challenges they’ve overcome along the way. Speakers will include:
- Dayna Berry, Program Manager Tree Campus (Arbor Day Foundation)
- Bradley Spanbauer, Sustainability Director (University of Wisconsin Oshkosh)
- Christopher Anderson, Student Sustainability Program Director (University of Illinois Chicago)
Sustaining Ourselves Retreat
February 1st and 2nd, 2024
This beloved UMACS winter tradition, hosted by St. John’s University
and the College of St. Benedict, is back!
Are you a Sustainability staff or faculty member?
Please plan to join your colleagues for time to reflect and connect.
and the College of St. Benedict, is back!
Are you a Sustainability staff or faculty member?
Please plan to join your colleagues for time to reflect and connect.
UMACS "Connected Leadership" Course
January 15 - March 11, 2024
Interested in pursuing a shared experience in leadership development with other UMACS professionals? Alan Turnquist (Michigan Tech) invites you to join a small group in taking Connected Leadership, a free online course from Coursera.
- The course is designed to maximize your ability to create change at the individual, team and system levels. The instructor is Peter Boyd, an instructor at Yale and a leader in global climate change management. The course can be done at your own pace and takes ~28 hours to complete.
- The pace of learning will advance at 2-3 hours per week, and a group will meet virtually every 2-3 weeks to discuss and reflect on each of the 4 main modules. The entire course would be complete in ~10 weeks, starting with the first meeting on January 15 and the final on March 11.
En-ROADS Climate Simulation
Tuesday, November 28 11:00-12:30 CST
Fred Rose from the (University of Minnesota) will introduce this free online simulator that allows participants to test and explore cross-sector climate solutions. This interactive workshop will help you to think about which solutions would have the most impact on your own campus and in your community and prepare you to lead the simulation with others. Please invite others to participate in this free, interactive event!
2023 SUMMER RETREATS
Professional Development Meeting for Higher Education Sustainability Leaders
Professional Development Meeting for Higher Education Sustainability Leaders
Meet in-person with sustainability leaders from local colleges and universities to network, share about your work and find inspiration for your future sustainability efforts. The day will include a campus tour of sustainability initiatives, and opportunities to talk about topics that matter to you with other sustainability champions. Students, staff and faculty are welcome to join us! Please plan to pay for your own lunch.
Interested in hosting a similar event on your campus? UMACS can help coordinate and publicize the event. Email for more info.
Interested in hosting a similar event on your campus? UMACS can help coordinate and publicize the event. Email for more info.
UMACS Visits Macalester College
June 13, 2023 10:00-3:00pm
Macalester College in St. Paul, MN
June 13, 2023 10:00-3:00pm
Macalester College in St. Paul, MN
UMACS Visits Luther College
July 27, 2023 10:00-3:00pm
Luther College in Decorah, IA
July 27, 2023 10:00-3:00pm
Luther College in Decorah, IA
ENERGY ROUND TABLE
hosted by:
Rob Hanson, Manager of Campus Energy at Carleton College
June 14 from 11am-12pm
hosted by:
Rob Hanson, Manager of Campus Energy at Carleton College
June 14 from 11am-12pm
Join this virtual roundtable for discussion about energy projects on your campus: past, present, or future! Sharing your campus' experience with solar, wind, geothermal, etc. projects can help empower other campuses to be powered more sustainably and avoid energy project pitfalls. Know someone on your campus (or a different campus) that would be interested in this new group? Please share widely!
UMACS Coffee Hour with Jenna Jambeck on Thursday, April 13 from 9-10am CST
Macarthur Fellow Jenna Jambeck (Environmental Engineer, University of Georgia) is the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of MN, Morris. She has generously offered to host a "UMACS coffee hour" to learn about her Circularity Assessment Protocol and research on waste reduction.
Jenna Jambeck is a Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor in Environmental Engineering at the University of Georgia, a 2022 MacArthur Fellow, Founder of the Circularity Informatics Lab in the New Materials Institute and is a National Geographic Explorer. In 2019, she co-led the National Geographic Sea to Source Expedition: Ganges and currently leads the science for the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative. She has been conducting research on solid waste issues for over 25 years and marine debris/plastic pollution for 21 years. Her work has been recognized by the global community and translated into policy discussions by the High-Level Panel for the Ocean, testimony to Congress, in G7 and G20 Declarations, and the United Nations Environment program.
Macarthur Fellow Jenna Jambeck (Environmental Engineer, University of Georgia) is the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of MN, Morris. She has generously offered to host a "UMACS coffee hour" to learn about her Circularity Assessment Protocol and research on waste reduction.
Jenna Jambeck is a Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor in Environmental Engineering at the University of Georgia, a 2022 MacArthur Fellow, Founder of the Circularity Informatics Lab in the New Materials Institute and is a National Geographic Explorer. In 2019, she co-led the National Geographic Sea to Source Expedition: Ganges and currently leads the science for the Mississippi River Plastic Pollution Initiative. She has been conducting research on solid waste issues for over 25 years and marine debris/plastic pollution for 21 years. Her work has been recognized by the global community and translated into policy discussions by the High-Level Panel for the Ocean, testimony to Congress, in G7 and G20 Declarations, and the United Nations Environment program.
From Soil to Stars, Finding Nature in the Archive: A Reading & Conversation with Erin Sharkey and Michael Kleber-Diggs on April 3 from 4:30-6pm
What are the politics of nature? Who owns it, where is it, and what role does it play in our lives? Does it need to be tamed? Are we ourselves natural? Erin Sharkey and Michael Kleber-Diggs will discuss, A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars, a collection of personal and lyric essays in conversation with archival objects of Black history and memory. The collection explores stories spanning hundreds of years and thousands of miles, traveling from roots to space–finding rich Blackness everywhere. Together we will consider the significance of nature in our lives and on the role of nature in the lives of Black folks.
What are the politics of nature? Who owns it, where is it, and what role does it play in our lives? Does it need to be tamed? Are we ourselves natural? Erin Sharkey and Michael Kleber-Diggs will discuss, A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars, a collection of personal and lyric essays in conversation with archival objects of Black history and memory. The collection explores stories spanning hundreds of years and thousands of miles, traveling from roots to space–finding rich Blackness everywhere. Together we will consider the significance of nature in our lives and on the role of nature in the lives of Black folks.
Re:wild Your Campus Info Session on March 30 from 1-1:45pm
Are you interested in creating healthy, natural spaces on your campus? Learn about organic land care and discover some ways you can help in creating safer and healthier grounds.
Are you interested in creating healthy, natural spaces on your campus? Learn about organic land care and discover some ways you can help in creating safer and healthier grounds.
Ed Humes: The Forgotten Side of Sustainability on March 24, 2023 from 1-2pm
Are you interested in discussing topics that historically have been left out of sustainability conversations? Come join UMN Morris' event with keynote speaker Ed Humes, author of Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash!
Are you interested in discussing topics that historically have been left out of sustainability conversations? Come join UMN Morris' event with keynote speaker Ed Humes, author of Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash!
Thursday, February 9, 10:00-11:00: Virtual Power Purchasing Agreements
Learn from Chris O'Brian, VP of Business Development for Coho about how large-scale renewable energy solutions, such as wholesale power purchase agreements (a.k.a. "virtual" or VPPAs) can zero out up to 100% of your scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity. Wholesale PPAs require no capital expense, cause net new solar and wind projects to be added to the grid, and can produce long-term cost savings. However, they are complex and involve many stakeholders. Learn how to navigate these challenges and achieve what could be your campus's greatest climate success.
Learn from Chris O'Brian, VP of Business Development for Coho about how large-scale renewable energy solutions, such as wholesale power purchase agreements (a.k.a. "virtual" or VPPAs) can zero out up to 100% of your scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased electricity. Wholesale PPAs require no capital expense, cause net new solar and wind projects to be added to the grid, and can produce long-term cost savings. However, they are complex and involve many stakeholders. Learn how to navigate these challenges and achieve what could be your campus's greatest climate success.
Introduction to Second Nature, Thursday, February 2, 12:00-1:00 CST
Learn about resources and programs offered by Second Nature (including how you can be involved (with or without being a member), Session will be led by Cami Sockow, their new Climate Programs Regional Manager (previously the Sustainability Coordinator at Georgia Southern University).
Learn about resources and programs offered by Second Nature (including how you can be involved (with or without being a member), Session will be led by Cami Sockow, their new Climate Programs Regional Manager (previously the Sustainability Coordinator at Georgia Southern University).