Saint Peter’s University today announced that it was included in “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 361 Green Colleges: 2016 Edition.” A presence on this list means Saint Peter’s is one of the 361 most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada, according to The Princeton Review, an education services company known for its test prep programs and college rankings, ratings and guidebook profiles.
“Laudato si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment and human ecology, calls us to care for our common home and address the issue of climate change,” said Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University. “As the president of New Jersey’s Jesuit university, I have maintained a steadfast commitment to living out Pope Francis’ call to foster green energy and sustainable practices. The University takes great pride in the continued recognition of our efforts in this area from The Princeton Review.”
The Princeton Review chose the schools for this seventh annual edition of its “green guide” based on data from the company’s 2015-16 survey of hundreds of four-year colleges concerning the schools’ commitments to the environment and sustainability. The complete guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.
“We strongly recommend Saint Peter’s and the other fine colleges in this guide to the many environmentally-minded students who seek to study and live at green colleges,” said Robert Franek, senior vice president-publisher for The Princeton Review. “Among more than 10,000 teens and parents who participated in our 2016 College Hopes & Worries Survey, 61 percent told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the college.”
In the guide’s profile on Saint Peter’s University, The Princeton Review highlights the University’s Sustainability Council and the academic programs with an environmental focus. The profile also features sustainability-oriented student groups such as Students Against Violating the Earth (SAVE) and the Junkyard Dogs. The Mac Mahon Student Center, which is a LEED-Silver building, is also highlighted along with previous green projects at Saint Peter’s including the implementation of 100 percent renewable energy generated by wind power as the sole source of purchased electricity and the University’s Climate Action Plan.
