Partnerships

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS®), a program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), is "a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance." Our triannual STARS audit provides invaluable insight into achievements, gaps, and priorities going forward. We also attend the AASHE Conference every year, giving our students first-hand exposure to sustainability research, innovation, graduate programs, and corporate leadership.

Principia College maintains a 5-star GDA rating, a comprehensive third-party certification that recognizes restaurants that excel in their commitment to sustainable food systems. An annual audit documents recycling and waste reduction, sourcing and procurement, water conservation, energy conservation and efficiency, chemical use, awareness and education, and innovation. The Alliance describes Principia as having an "exemplary understanding and performance of sustainable practices."

Principia College is a founding member of the new Midwest Climate Collaborative, which seeks “to facilitate the development of a coherent Midwestern response to the climate crisis through acceleration of climate action, knowledge and leader development", in part through supporting ambitious, science-informed mitigation and adaptation targets being developed and adopted by Midwestern institutions across sectors. MCC's Student Sustainability Conference gives our students a chance to share their research and to learn - and be inspired by - their peers.

Principia College is a founding member of the Resilience Studies Consortium, a network of universities dedicated to advancing “place-based” educational opportunities for undergraduates from a diversity of backgrounds. By sharing academic resources, including allowing for course transfers among partner universities, the RSC "seeks to engage and empower students with rich environmental understanding." The consortium also offers study abroad options, fellowships for graduate study, and webinars on issues of global import.

Principia College is a founding member of the STL-HESC, which has as its mission "to connect the strengths, resources, and knowledge of the St. Louis area universities and colleges, to advance collective sustainability initiatives that cultivate innovation, eliminate non-productive competition, and create a network which is more than the sum of its parts." Consortium members collaborate on regional conferences, training workshops, and capacity-building initiatives. 

WIDECAST, a Regional Activity Network of UNEP's Caribbean Environment Programme, embraces sea turtle research and conservation projects in 45 nations and territories. Many of these have hosted amazing summer internships for our students, providing them with unique opportunities to travel, learn new skills, express leadership, and participate in problem-solving at scale. Read more about our internship program at Learning for Life.