On December 2, 2022 the Morris Campus Student Association (MCSA) hosted a Sustainability Forum to celebrate the diversity of sustainability activity happening across campus and the community of Morris. Faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members were invited to attend the event and share information about their projects.
Sustainability is one of the key pillars at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMN Morris) and amazing work is being done both on campus and in the surrounding community. Because of this, MCSA has organized a Sustainability Forum for the last several years to showcase the new and ongoing sustainability work. For 2022, the event focused more on environmental justice themes and showcasing indigenous voices in the sustainability space.
The four-hour event kicked off at 4:30pm with three brief presentations from indigenous leaders Michelle Montgomery, Teresa Peters, and Erika Bailey Johnson. Internationally acclaimed activist Winona LaDuke followed with the keynote address. An audience member Q&A session took place before participants moved to the afterparty, which featured an array of demonstration tables, a menu of Indigenous food and drink and plant giveaways.
“I am proud to have directed an event that opened many eyes to new cultural worldviews and the work of interesting Indigenous scholars,” says Amalia Galvan, UMN Morris student and MCSA member. “This event is just one of the ways MCSA and I hope to contribute to the larger movement of promoting diversity in the sustainability workplace environment.”
Funds to support this event were provided by World Touch Heritage, Sustainable Development Goals Student Activity Grants, NASS (NASS programs and functions are supported wholly or in part by the Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions grant funded by the US Department of Education), Sustainability Club, Mellon Environmental Stewardship, Place, and Community Initiative, Ahern Fund, Office of Sustainability, Campus Activities Council, and Morris Campus Student Association.
The SDGs
The MCSA received one of several 2022 SDG Student Group Activity Grants to support the 2022 Sustainability Forum. As part of their efforts, the student group hoped to educate the public about the pillars of sustainability through the lens of Indigenous & underrepresented populations with a focus on Sustainable Development Goals #6, #7, #13 and #16.
Learn More About the Sustainability Forum
UMN Morris is one of the most sustainable schools in the country. Since 2019, the Sustainability Forum allows for students, faculty, and staff to present on sustainable initiatives or research they have done to fellow campus community members intending to share knowledge and create synergy and partnerships.
Learn More About the 2022 Forum
Learn More About Sustainability at Morris
UMN Morris aims to create a culture of sustainability on campus and in our community through the lens of liberal arts by:
- Bringing people together
- Celebrating their progress
- Supporting their leaders
- Connecting with new people
- Recognizing campus history as they create the future
Learn More About their Efforts