Cal Poly Sustainability Awards
The Cal Poly Sustainability Awards celebrate members of the Cal Poly community who have exhibited extraordinary commitments to sustainability initiatives and efforts on campus. The awards recognize faculty, staff, students and contributions from recognized campus organizations.
Nominate a 2025 Sustainability Champion
The 5th Annual Sustainability Awards nominations are now in progress! Individual recipients will receive a $500 award, and the recognized group will receive a $1,000 sponsorship. Nominators and candidates will be invited to an awards ceremony over lunch on April 25, 2025. Nominators submitting multiple nominations must complete a new form for each candidate. Please submit all nominations by midnight on Friday, March 21, 2025. Questions? Contact Nereida Herrera nherre08@calpoly.edu.
Click here to complete the 2025 award application
Sustainability Champion Award Categories
Sustainability Organization
This organization is dedicated to engaging both campus and broader community in meaningful efforts. They create open, welcoming, and inclusive spaces that enhance campus sustainability, fostering a sense of environmental responsibility. Their work is collaborative and always mindful of sustainability, ensuring that their efforts contribute positively to a greener future.
Faculty Sustainability Champion
This champion is an individual that is genuinely dedicated to sustainability, weaving it seamlessly into their classroom and curriculum. They passionately mentor students, fostering a deep awareness of the environment both within and beyond the classroom. Their scholarly pursuits are closely tied to sustainability, reflecting their commitment to this cause along with supporting their colleagues in efforts to cultivate a environmentally conscious campus climate.
Student Sustainability Champion
This champion exhibits a strong commitment to a greener future, seamlessly integrating it into both curricular and co-curricular learning environments. They actively engage the campus and the broader community in meaningful efforts, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility. Their advocacy is unwavering, as they passionately promote sustainable practices and initiatives, inspiring others to join in their efforts.
Staff Sustainability Champion
This champion is an individual that demonstrates their commitment through impactful programs, initiatives, and daily actions. Their dedication goes above and beyond their regular duties, providing exceptional service to support and enhance campus sustainability efforts helping drive the campus towards a greener future.
Dennis K. Elliot Sustainable Facilities Award
The "Dennis K. Elliot Sustainable Facilities Award” will be presented each year to the Facilities Management & Development (FMD) employee who has demonstrated initiative and leadership to make Cal Poly a truly sustainable campus. This award is for an individual within FMD that demonstrates their commitment through impactful projects, programs, initiatives, and daily actions. Their dedication goes above and beyond their regular duties, providing exceptional service to support and enhance campus facility related sustainability efforts that reduce utility costs, improve the environmental performance of our campus physical environment and/ or improve the safety, health and well being of our campus occupants. This award is named after Dennis K. Elliot who left immeasurable impact on Cal Poly Sustainability over a 40 year career within FMD holding positions of Boiler Operator, Building Service Engineer, Chief Engineer, Energy Manager and Executive Director of Facility Operations..