The annual Sustainability Champion Awards program honors Cal Poly Humboldt employees whose practices have deepened a culture of sustainability on campus, have furthered the integration of sustainability into academics or student life, or have reduced the university's environmental footprint.

Each spring a selection committee reviews nominations and selects one faculty, one staff, and one student employee who has excelled in advancing sustainability on campus and in the community. The 2023 award winners embody a spirit of innovation, collaboration, and leadership to create solutions to pressing challenges facing the campus and society.

Each Sustainability Champion receives a hand-crafted trophy and a feature profile in campus publications. The Awards Ceremony is held in April During Earth Week, a series of events in celebration of Earth Day.

Interested in nominating someone for an award?

The nomination form and other details can be found on The Engagement Hub. Self-nominations are also accepted. Those with sustainability in their job title or with sustainability as an obligatory aspect of their job (e.g., Office of Sustainability staff, Sustainability Librarian and the Faculty Sustainability Fellow) are not eligible for the award.

2017 Faculty Sustainability Champion Lonny Grafman (Engineering) hoists the award

2023 Staff Sustainability Champion Douglas Smith (UMOJA Center Coordinator)

2022 Student Sustainability Champion Katie Miller (ESM '23)