"SEED's workshop last year at WDI, 'Building a Green Workforce, Charting a Course for Community Colleges' provided good connections and I've continued to follow up on issues raised. The session on how environmental technology programs are set up was particularly useful--getting to know what is going on in other regions really helps."

Craig R. Clark

Dean, Applied Technology 

Alfred State College (NY)

Welcome  

New SEED Members, November

Cañada College

Redwood City, CA

Cost Community College District

Coast Mesa, CA

Columbia State Community College

Columbia, TN

Miami Dade College

Miami, FL

If your college is not a member yet, join today, or refer a college to join and begin taking advantage of free resources SEED offers. 

Explore high value information and technical assistance that educators in Sustainable Agriculture can use when developing courses and programs.

(Formerly known as the USDA-funded National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, ATTRA) 

Don't Miss...  

Find a comprehensive list of events and announcements on theseedcenter.org.

Announcement: 

Share your thoughts on IREC Standard 14732: 2012

Public comment invited on new standard for assessment of credit or non-credit energy-related certificate programs.

Deadline, today 12/7/11

Conference: 

Explore issues of national and energy security, economic development, capital raising and jobs for under and unemployed Americans.
12/6-7/11

Washington, DC 

Issue 11, December 7, 2011 

While most of us are in the midst of finishing another semester, there are no finals for building the green economy. Colleges across the country are rolling out game-changing programs to educate the next generation of America's sustainability leaders. Learn more below about a new locally-grown biomass facility at Mid South Community College (AR)and an exciting carbon capture program at Richland Community College (IL).

Don't miss SEED's free webinar tomorrow, Community Colleges Leading Rural-Based Green Economy Initiatives. Rural Americans have unique opportunities to influence our country's renewable energy and sustainable agricultural development. Hear from the experts about programs underway.

Finally, I hope you will join us at AACC's Workforce Development Institute (WDI) in Miami, Florida next month, January 25-28. WDI offers a unique environment where we can learn from each other about workforce challenges faced and celebrate our successes. The SEED preconference session on January 25 will provide a valuable opportunity for in-depth peer-to-peer learning and engagement involving some of the best green colleges in the United States. You can find details below, I'll look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Jerry Weber

Chair, AACC Sustainability Task Force

President, College of Lake County, IL

Renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture offer real, viable economic opportunities for rural regions. Learn how the U.S. Department of Agriculture is supporting these efforts and how community colleges are both preparing a qualified workforce and how their strategic regional partnerships are actually leading to the growth of jobs. Presented in partnership with Eastern Iowa Community Colleges' Advanced Technology Environmental and Energy Center.

Explore related resources in SEED's new resource center sector, Sustainable Agriculture, Food & Land.  

Presenters:

* Judith Canales, Administrator, Rural Business & Cooperative Programs, USDA's Rural Development Agency 

* Timothy Crowley, President, Northern Maine Community College

* Robin Kohanowich, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, Central Carolina Community College (NC)  

Register now. 

While there is no question that the green economy is still emerging, most agree that training for a variety of green competencies will be needed in sectors from weatherization to manufacturing and up and down supply chains.  

On what programs should colleges really be focusing?  And using which techniques?

This workshop will highlight innovative models of successful community college green programs. Participants will receive in-depth technical assistance from college leaders on some of the most common challenges including building key industry partnerships, aligning to national certifications, greening existing curricula, and tying job training to overall campus sustainability initiatives.  Educators, inquire about a conference stipend.  Learn more about the workshop.

In spring 2012, STLCC students in the "Greenhouse Gas Inventory" class will complete hands-on internships. By collaborating with classmates and city officials these students are gathering and crunching data while discovering and advancing recommendations for carbon mitigation strategies in the city's Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report. Read more.  

Hear from:

* Mark Quarto, Automotive Research & Design, LLC

* Greg Newhouse,  

   Associate Dean, San Diego Miramar College (CA)

* Jeff Minter, Instructor, Madison Area Technical College (WI)

Moderated by: Todd Cohen, AACC

Miss the webinar?  Want to hear it again? Discover key insights shared about building an alternative fuel vehicle program.   

Download the recording and slide deck here. 

Mid-South Community College (AR) is developing a $9M, 35,000-square-foot training center for renewable-energy production.  The college is investing in high-tech renewable energy training opportunities to meet future workforce needs in this region--a prime location to supply new bio-refineries with locally-grown biomass.

SEED Colleges in the News

Discover details on these newsmakers and send us your clean energy and sustainability news, we'll share it with the SEED community. 

Richland Community College (IL) is engaged in a major carbon capture project to capture 2.5M tons of CO2

Congrats to SEED members putting federal funding to good use building the green economy and greening their campuses:  

* Danville Area Community College (IL)

* Lincoln Land Community College (IL)

* College of Lake County (IL)

* Los Angeles Community College District (CA)  

Climate science resources from NASA are being used by Jobs for the Future & National Wildlife Federation to build Community College Green Curricula.