SEED Webinar Recording & Slides Available 

Community Colleges Creating Demand for Green-Collar Jobs through Community & Business Outreach

Speakers:  

Dr. Debra Rowe, Oakland Community College (Mi.) 

Stephanie Sklba, Gateway Technical College (Wi.) 

Todd Cohen, AACC

Valuable insights were shared about building strong connections to help students build careers.

Download the recording and slide deck here.  

Visit SEED News & Events for the latest information.   

SEED Center Featured Resource  

Green Schools & Sustainability in Appalachia: Case Studies in Rural Practice

This report by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), illustrates how six Appalachian schools, are providing critical leadership and training for the emerging green energy industry and helping communities develop markets for green products and services.

Three SEED Member Schools are featured:

* Cleveland State Community College (Tn.)

* Hocking College (Oh.)

* Alfred State College (Ny.)

SEED offers customizable

templates to help you engage educators, students and communities in your green jobs training programs.  Get started today, download them now!

Thank you to the Surdna Foundation for providing its second year of support for SEED to ecoAmerica. Surdna supports programs that serve to strengthen local economies and sustain people, places and communities.

UNCF Building Green Learning Institute 

San Antonio, Tx, June 10-12

Discounted registration to UNCF's conference is available for SEED members.  Email AACC's Todd Cohen for information.

ACUPCC Climate Leadership Summit 

Washington, DC, June 23-24

April 26, 2011

SEED at the AACC Convention, Upcoming Opportunities 

Many of you had the opportunity to join SEED and me at

SEED Booth at convention, Todd Cohen, AACC (right)

the recent AACC annual convention in New Orleans.  There, we celebrated the achievements of remarkable educators and alumni and

addressed the challenges facing our colleges.

Amid the tests we face each day, sustainability education and green-collar jobs programs remain a bright opportunity.  Pictured below are members of the Sustainability Task Force (STF), SEED's steering committee.  These presidents met at the convention to examine how the SEED initiative's achievements to date will be built upon in 2011.  We discussed how all of our collective involvement can ensure SEED's success to help community colleges and their partners promote sustainability practices and prepare students and workers for careers in the emerging, high-growth green economy.

This year holds many exciting opportunities for SEED. I encourage you to explore the upcoming programs and take advantage of them. 

I look forward to hearing your stories.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Jerry Weber

Chair, AACC Sustainability Task Force

President, College of Lake County

Sustainability Task Force (STF) at AACC Convention   Front Row: 1. Linda Gerber, Portland Community College-Sylvania, Or. 2. Carolyn Teich, American Association of Community Colleges, DC 3. Christine Sobek, Waubonsee Community College, Il. 4. Mary Spangler, Houston Community College, Tx. 5. Jean Goodnow, Delta College, Mi. 6. Bettsey Barhorst, Madison Area Technical College, Wi. 7. Rose Johnson, Haywood Community College, Nc.    Middle row: 1. Ronnie Booth, Tri-County Technical College, Sc. 2. Dennis Golladay, Harford Community College, Md. 3. Allen Goben, Heartland Community College, Il. 4. Rusty C. H. Stephens, Wilson Community College, Nc. 5. Michael Chipps, Mid-Plains Community College, Ne. 6. Gayle Hytrek, Moraine Technical College, Wi. 7. Anne Kress, Monroe Community College, Ny. 8. Charlene Newkirk, Community College of Allegheny County, Pa. 9. Robert L. Pura, Greenfied Community College, Ma. 10. Barbara Viniar, Chesapeake College, Md. 11. Sam Hill, Northern Virginia Community College, Va. 12. Daniel Bain, Independence Community College, Ks.   Back row: 1. Jerry Weber, College of Lake County, Il. 2. Bryan Albrecht, Gateway Technical College, Wi. 3. Rebecca Paneitz, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Ar. 4. David Levinson, Norwalk Community College, Ct. 5. Philip Barry, Mesalands Community College, Nm. 6. Jay Box, Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Ky. 7. James Roberson, Wake Technical Community College, Nc. 8. Carl Hite, Cleveland State Community College, Tn. 9. Les Juaron, Butte College, Ca.

SEED Member Schools Celebrate New Learning Centers

Congratulations goes to Community College of Philadelphia and Santa Fe Community College.  Both are opening new LEED-certified learning centers this spring!  

Community College of Philadelphia Celebrates Earth Day with a    

Newly Refurbished Facility

Community College of Philadelphia marked the grand opening last week of the $31 million, eco-friendly, newly expanded and LEED-gold refurbished Northeast Regional Center (NERC).

The College has held a series of Earth Day-related events to highlight the new NERC and emphasize the importance of sustainability, green technology, renewable energy, and science.

The College has long been committed to energy conservation and the principles of environmental sustainability as part of its overall mission to educate and prepare a Philadelphia workforce that can compete in a global economy. "These buildings serve as living laboratories where students can learn by their surroundings," President Curtis said. "We've created state-of-the-art learning spaces that will help students become global citizens who really understand what sustainability means."

The grounds conceal a storm water runoff and retention system that works with the new addition's green roof to capture and filter storm water that is used for flushing in the facility. Two retention basins on the property can hold up to 300,000 gallons of storm runoff from the NERC and neighboring residential properties. In addition to its geothermal heat pump and well field to provide heating and cooling, the facility sports a green roof designed to capture and recycle storm water runoff for flushing, and expansive windows designed to make optimum use of daylight and reduce the need for artificial lighting. Also, classrooms are equipped with the latest in audio-visual technology that can be controlled from smart podiums. The airy student commons includes an enlarged bookstore, cafeteria, library, study areas and public meeting spaces. All of these features are designed to enhance the student learning experience. 

Educating the Green Workforce: Santa Fe Community College Trades & Advanced Technology Center Grand Opening Celebration: Friday, May 6, 2011 at 2:00 PM  

The Trades & Advanced Technology Center at SFCC houses the college's Sustainable Technologies Center (STC), which works with community, state and national partners to further develop and expand the renewable energy industry cluster in the region, while also being recognized as a state, regional, and national resource.   

The new Center provides hands on opportunities and classroom settings to further the program's promotion and training for those going into green jobs and careers. The program also retools for current trade certificates and specialty vocational programs. The state-of-the-art Center is a LEED registered building with sustainable features and smart construction. It provides rooftop teaching decks, with multiple classrooms and six workshops with oversized garage doors which help provide hands-on teaching and opportunities. Courses and programs offered are in Biofuels, Emerging Technologies, and Contract Training, Green Building Trades, Mechanical Trades, Solar, Welding, and much more (read TATC fact sheet here).

SFCC has also submitted many resources to the SEED Curricular Wiki.  You can see their materials here and learn more about courses offered at SFCC.  

SEED congratulates both the Community College of Philadelphia and Santa Fe Community college for these exciting grand openings!